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Gosforth Cross
Sept. 29.
Mr. URBAN,
THE inclosed drawing (Plate I. fig. 2.) may, perhaps,
be a small subject of entertainment to your Antiquarian
readers. It represents a column at present extant in the
church-yard of the parish of Gosforth, situated 12 miles
Southward of Whitehaven, in the county of Cumberland. It
stands above 15 feet above the ground, and is about 14
inches mean diameter, and formerly, as is reported, had a
fellow column at about 7 feet distance, with an horizontal
stone between the two, on which was rudely cut the figure of
a large and antique sword. This stone has been taken away
within memory; and the cross which crowned the two columns,
after that the column was cruelly cut down and converted
into a style for a sundial, which was put into the parson's
garden of Gosforth, and there remains. On this column I
once, by means of chalking, discovered two figures of horses
and men; but these were faint. It is much more perfect, and
perhaps less injured by time, than those spoken of by Camden
as being in Penrith church-yard; and are much taller, and of
more elegant shape. They are sepulchral monuments, and of
Christian days. What else may be supposed of them, I leave
to your Antiquarian correspondents.
CARBO.
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