Saxon Sculpture

On entering the South door, visitors will see a Saxon Sculpture set into the North wall of the Nave, close to the tower. It was discovered in a stone chest under the tower floor in 1785 by Sir William Burrell. Archaeologists believe it dates from AD 1000- 1050 and depicts Christ, wearing his resurrection garment, thrusting a cross-shaped sword into the mouth of a beast, “Good triumphing over Evil”.

The stone, of very fine quality, is creamy yellow in colour. The slab measures 90 cms in height and the relief is 7 cms deep. The two beasts at the feet of Christ show interlacing, typical of the Urnes style of decoration and the Viking influence

Since its discovery there has been much conjecture about age and purpose. As to its age, there is no doubt that it is of great antiquity.

T D Kendrick: Late Saxon and Viking Art’ London 1949…….. ‘Urnes work occurs in stone monuments not only in the north but in Southern England where there is a remarkable instance of the Urnes Style that has not been sufficiently studied. This is a carving built into the north nave wall of the church at Jevington. It is a carving of really great interest because the two beasts at the feet of Christ are done in the Urnes style.’ He dates it to the first half of the 11^th century and considers it to be one of the very few remaining pieces of Saxon sculpture in this country showing this Scandinavian type of decoration. D Talbot Rice: English Art 871 –1100 Oxford 1952 dates it to pre Conquest. 

It is a rare example and one of only a few discovered in this country. Members of the archaeological team involved in the excavation of the Viking settlement of Yorvic, York, visited Jevington church to study the sculpture.

Its purpose is not certain but it is not thought to have been a coffin lid. Suggestions have been made that it could be part of the top section of a cross, a mural, or an early type of teaching aid. There is no reference to the sculpture in any of the church records and there has been much speculation as to why it was placed under the tower floor. One theory is that it was buried under there for safe keeping in turbulent times. The Commonwealth period is notorious for the destruction of religious images. Perhaps John Bawtre rector 1621 -1660 decided to bury it for safety, leaving no record, in the hope that it might survive to be discovered in the future.