The Methodist Church and St. Thomas' Church,
Brompton, Northallerton
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St Thomas' Church

The Cock Shaft

The earliest of the Brompton crosses, dating from the 9th century, is today only a stump, to be found near the font, its head being in the library at Durham Cathedral. It is very interesting stylistically because it contains both human and bird representations in its carved designs. The face nearest the font is divided into three panels, the uppermost two showing carvings of two cocks, symbolic of watchfulness in the story of St. Peter’s denial of Christ. Beneath these is depicted a strange, typically Saxon zoomorphic figure of grotesque beetle men locked in combat, with cone-like heads and legs like those of a horse. The right hand face of this stump shows what is possibly the figure of St. John the Evangelist holding a book, although the details are obscure. The back face contains the figure of a praying angel, whilst the remaining face shows a free, loose style of twining vines. It would appear from the remains of heads low down on the two sides beneath St. John and the vine pattern that the stump was once much taller. The style of the figures is reminiscent of Byzantine or Frankish sculptures. A further example of this type of cross can be seen at Crathorne, south of Yarm in North Yorkshire whilst

the best example is at Bewcastle, near Hexham, this one stands some fifteen feet high.

Brief History of Brompton Churches The Tower
The Saxon Crosses The Cock Shaft
The Wheel Head Crosses The Hogback Stones
Early Developments John Kettlewell and Restoration

st thomas' church  

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