The Braddan Crosses

in Old Kirk Braddan

63	Rectangular slab broken down its length. One face is flaked away, the other bears a Latin cross with long tapering head and ring. A trace of a finely incised border line to the outside of the circle, which crosses over the shaft. Found in the west wall of the tower.
64	Cross patee, the lower limb extending beyond the narrow ring which encloses the other limbs; small incised ring in centre. Discovered in 1856 in a wall near the church.
65	Cross-slab over 7ft high, badly weathered; on one face is sculptured a plain Latin cross, the upper limbs ending in square steps and having cup-like hollows between them, with similar cup-marks at the ends of the limbs; the oval-shaped expansion of the upper part of the slab suggests a surrounding ring. Found in a field at Middle Farm.
72	The Braddan Cross. A fine wheel-headed cross-slab, 5ft in height, bearing on one face an equal-limbed cross with connecting ring, the broad borders of which, with the figured decoration between them, give the suggestion of separate inner and outer rings. The upper limb, centre panel, has a conventional representation of Daniel in the lions' den, a symbol of the Resurrection. (Daniel is here represented by his head only and has a large moustache. The lions have collars, and their forepaws are raised to the level of their chins, implying that their mouths are shut in the presence of Daniel, ie. that death has no terrors for the just and upright soul.) However, some authorities interpret the design as a Celtic theme, later identified with the jaws of Hell. The plait work occupying the whole of the other limbs is very well designed and carefully executed. A good piece of Anglian work dating from the 9th century.
78	Wheel-headed cross. The spaces between the limbs and the surrounding ring are pierced tight through the stone. The limbs have a badly drawn figure-of-eight design, and are surrounded by an oval ring with twist-and-ring patters. The shaft is decorated with a rectangular panel having a loop-plait in two parallel columns. The general character shows Anglian influence, but the execution is faulty. The reverse shows an incised cross with expanding limbs overlapping the ring, bordered by a fine line having a small ring centre. Found as a dividing stone in a stile.
112	Thorstein's Cross. A cross-slab with 9in missing from the top; the cross and circle have bead borders, and the shaft is decorated with the ring-chain, carried up to the head which displays a novel feature. The space to the left of the shaft shows twist-and-ring with round pellets between the rings. To the right of the shaft are well-cut runes, reading Thorstein erected this cross to the memory of Ofeig son of Krina. Found as a doorstep in the church (accounting for the very worn appearance of one face).
135	Thorleif's Cross. Differing from the normal rectangular Manx cross-slabs, this late Norse cross of the late 10th or early 11th century is in the form of a tapering pillar with a small pierced ring at the cross-head. The side of the shaft shows highly accomplished decoration of the Scandinavian-type dragons in the Mammen style, their tails, limbs and top-knots elaborately interlaced. The other edge carries a well-cut runic inscription, reading Thorleif hnakki erected this cross to the memory of Fiac his son, brother's son to Hafr, continued, perhaps in a different hand, under the ring of the cross-head with the word Ihsus (ie. Jesus).
136	Odd's Cross: the base of a tapering pillar cross, thought to be similar in style to that of Thorlief's Cross. On one face are two well carved figures of pelleted dragons head-to-head, on the other a similar panel arrangement, bordered above and below by bands with step-pattern ornament. One edge is ornamented with a plain step-pattern between raised flat borders, the other bears a runic inscription reading Odd raised this cross to the memory of his father Frakki. But Thor (rest illegible). Found built into the church tower as a lintel over a doorway.
138	Fragment of cross, having a design of two diagonal interlaced rings, decorated with notches, flourishes and pellets. The opposite face shows the usual Manx design of two bands crossing and interlacing with two others at right angles. An inscription, running up the shaft and finished in the space to the left, reads But Hross-Ketill betrayed in a truce his own oath-fellow.
146	Fragment of sandstone, part of the shaft of a small cross. One face is flaked away, the othe bears a loop-form plait; one edge shows a band forming knows, and the other a twist-and-ring design; all the bands are double-headed. A late work; the stone is foreign to the district, and may have been taken from material brought for the purpose of decorative work on the 12th-century church. Found in the churchyard wall in 1914.