Ancient Cross. Middle of Nowhere.
WC21 (UK) Productions Ltd
31,391 views
In the middle of bleedin' nowhere we find the incredible Bewcastle Cross - the finest Anglian cross in England - considered by Nikolaus Pevsner to be one of the 12 most important historical structures in Britain.
We're looking at the fascinating history of its location on a site spanning Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and through to the Dark Ages.
Two key questions are considered: 1) Why is this fine Anglo Saxon cross here, in such a remote location and so far away from the heartlands of the Northumbrian kingdom? 2) How was it made to such a high quality at a time when this shouldn't have been possible?
As you probably know, broadcaster Phillip Schofield is crazy about Saxon crosses, and this video is a pilot for a new series of videos: Schofield's Saxon Crosses. Please let us know in the comments below if you'd like more of this. Mr. Schofield hasn't been on the telly for a long time now and would appreciate your support.
#bewcastle #northumberland #romanfort #romanbritain #neolithic #bronzeage #ironage #darkages #anglosaxon #anglosaxons #bede #saxon #saxoncross #angliancross #bewcastlemuseum #castle #nikolauspevsner #pevsner
If you would like to support this channel, you can buy us a “coffee” via the link in the About section.
All contributions gratefully received and ploughed back into our productions. Travel costs and equipment – that sort of thing. Occasionally, actual real coffee.
Credits (Where due)
WC21 (UK) Productions Ltd theme tune: Keygenerator - Freesound
Roman Gazette theme tune: 8-bit Win – Velda – Epidemic Sound
For Serious Rambling Hikers & Scramblers theme tune: 514178 danlucas – Freesound
Compendium of Curiosities: Underbelly – Epidemic Sound
Coastal Catalogue theme tune: Just Like Magic – Epidemic Sound
The Time Tunnel theme tune: Micro – Epidemic Sound
Schofield’s Saxon Crosses: Good, Good – Epidemic Sound
The Almanac theme tune: Rush – DJI Mimo
All other music: Epidemic Sound
Main “Broadcaster”: Darren Spratt
Cameras
DJI Pocket 3 Creator Combo
GoPro Hero 12 Creator Edition
DJI Pocket 2 Creator Combo
HoverAir X1
20 Comments
What a beautiful piece of carving that is, so skilfully captured. Do please pass on my compliments to your camera operator - perhaps there'a whole team of them these days? Although they were keeping you on your toes a bit there by surprising you from all those different angles. Might want to have a word with them about that, lest that sort of gentle ribaldry gets out of hand and starts to affect filming schedules.
I think it worked really well doing a big chunk of the narrative from inside the museum, interspersed with the B-roll of the cross, while the elements let loose outside.
2:11
Crosses? Romans? Normans? Production subject doesn't matter, keep 'em coming.
Cheers! and a thumbs up from the Willamette Valley of the Oregon Country
The 1988/1989 season’s editions of Carlisle United FC match day program, featured photographs of local landmarks.
Many people had never seen the Brewcastle cross. For many years I have thought of heading out there. In my 49th year it’s now on my ‘to do list’.
Here in the North Country we are Saint Cuthbert mad! In Keswick people also enjoy St Herbert.
Cuthbert is bigger than George up here.
Ancient Cross. Middle of Nowhere.
WC21 (UK) Productions Ltd
31,391 views
In the middle of bleedin' nowhere we find the incredible Bewcastle Cross - the finest Anglian cross in England - considered by Nikolaus Pevsner to be one of the 12 most important historical structures in Britain.
We're looking at the fascinating history of its location on a site spanning Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and through to the Dark Ages.
Two key questions are considered: 1) Why is this fine Anglo Saxon cross here, in such a remote location and so far away from the heartlands of the Northumbrian kingdom? 2) How was it made to such a high quality at a time when this shouldn't have been possible?
As you probably know, broadcaster Phillip Schofield is crazy about Saxon crosses, and this video is a pilot for a new series of videos: Schofield's Saxon Crosses. Please let us know in the comments below if you'd like more of this. Mr. Schofield hasn't been on the telly for a long time now and would appreciate your support.
#bewcastle #northumberland #romanfort #romanbritain #neolithic #bronzeage #ironage #darkages #anglosaxon #anglosaxons #bede #saxon #saxoncross #angliancross #bewcastlemuseum #castle #nikolauspevsner #pevsner
If you would like to support this channel, you can buy us a “coffee” via the link in the About section.
All contributions gratefully received and ploughed back into our productions. Travel costs and equipment – that sort of thing. Occasionally, actual real coffee.
Credits (Where due)
WC21 (UK) Productions Ltd theme tune: Keygenerator - Freesound
Roman Gazette theme tune: 8-bit Win – Velda – Epidemic Sound
For Serious Rambling Hikers & Scramblers theme tune: 514178 danlucas – Freesound
Compendium of Curiosities: Underbelly – Epidemic Sound
Coastal Catalogue theme tune: Just Like Magic – Epidemic Sound
The Time Tunnel theme tune: Micro – Epidemic Sound
Schofield’s Saxon Crosses: Good, Good – Epidemic Sound
The Almanac theme tune: Rush – DJI Mimo
All other music: Epidemic Sound
Main “Broadcaster”: Darren Spratt
Cameras
DJI Pocket 3 Creator Combo
GoPro Hero 12 Creator Edition
DJI Pocket 2 Creator Combo
HoverAir X1
Stones in walls of the farmhouse, (it was called a bastle), were robbed from the roman fort - the castle in Bewcasle.
The walls were four feet thick on the ground floor.
The roof tiles were made from sandstone, the largest stood three feet high.
The farmhouse was called 'Woodhead' - it is still there.
I later moved even further up the farmtrack to a shooting lodge called High Grains - it is also still there.
I would guess it was the most isolated dwelling in England.
My farmhouse had no electricity or water.
I gathered water from the small stream running down the fell.
Whilst I was living there, a party of elderly trekers came over the hill, and one of the elderly ladies told me that she lived there when she was a child (in the 1920's), and that there was a water pipe to a spring about a mile away.
High Grains was in excellent condition with running water and electricity.
I think the pub was called the Lime Kiln - only frequented by local farmers, run by a seventy years old bachelor.
There was a lime kiln, up the fell, nearby.
There was a small hut at the bottom of the farm track, which was the post office, open three days a week for a couple of hours in the morning.
The wife of the local shepherd was the postmistress.