Cross 141[113] Thurith's Cross
Thurith's Cross 141[113]
Mrs Richards says of this cross -
"This is an unusual cross in that the carving is not of a high standard and the Runic inscription is a late one. It measures forty five inches by eighteen inches wide, and is two inches in thickness. It is a double sided cross...".
The runes which appear on either side of this cross have been read, on the right hand illustration, as THE CROSS JESUS CHRIST THURITH CARVED THESE RUNES and on the other side, on the left hand illustration, ...SON ERECTED [this cross] TO THE MEMORY OF HIS WIFE MURIEL...UKIFAT AND RATHFRID...
According to Thwaite's History of the Isle of Man of 1863 this cross, together with cross 93[63], had been used as building stone in the steeple of the old church at Onchan. Following the construction of the new church in 1833, the former one, which dated back to about the 12th century, was demolished and the two crosses came to light.
Eight years later in 1841, William Kinnebrook recorded them as standing in the garden of Mrs Martha Quane at the then recently built St Catharine's House in Onchan village. Following the death of her father-in-law in the same year that the old church was demolished, the young Mrs Quane had control of St Catharine's. It is possible that she laid out the garden and that the Vicar made her a gift of what were considered to be worthless pieces of building rubble. She also obtained possession of the bell turret of the old church and this still remains built into the garden wall of the house at Onchan.
The two crosses were offered for sale at auction in 1849 by the occupier of St Catharine's but it is known that they were still at that site in 1888. By 1892 both crosses had been moved to Hawthorn Villa in Onchan but later that year Mr Frederick Callow, the owner of the property, had them placed in the parish church.
Runes from Thurith's cross representing the words KRUS ISU KRIST are reproduced on the modern lectern of St Mary's Church at Hill Street in Douglas.