Corpus Refs: | Huebner/1876:78 Macalister/1949:1005 Nash-Williams/1950:191 RCAHMW/1976:886 |
Site: | BAGLN |
Discovery: | first mentioned, 1851 Westwood, J.O. |
History: | Westwood/1851, 145: `I am indebted to G. G. Francis, Esq., of Swansea, for making me first acquainted with this elegantly carved stone, several years ago. On visiting the pretty little church of Baglan, near Neath, previous to its recent restoration, I found this stone lying exposed, face upwards, as one of the coping-stones of the churchyard wall '. The remainder of this article is quoted verbatim in Westwood/1879, 24. Rhys/1873, 7--8: `Aug. 26---...I went to Baglan Church, about three miles from Briton Ferry station, to see a stone supposed to bear on it Brancuf; but it could not be found'. Rhys/1876, 244 (in a review of Huebner/1876): `The stone is lost'. Westwood/1879, 24: `Previous to the restoration of the little church of Baglan, near Neath, this elegantly carved stone was used as one of the coping-stones of the churchyard wall, close to the stile forming the southern entrance to the churchyard. During the repairs it was, by the care of Col. G. G. Francis, removed thence and affixed upon the wall of the tower of the church'. Nash-Williams/1950, 130: `Inside the church, mounted on the wall of the vestry'. RCAHMW/1976, 43: `found about 1850 in the churchyard of the old church at Baglan and more recently re-set in the internal vestry wall of St. Catherine's Church, Baglan'.
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Geology: | Macalister/1949, 152: `sandstone'. |
Dimensions: | 0.7 x 0.41 x 0.0 (converted from Macalister/1949) |
Setting: | in struct |
Location: | on site Macalister/1949, 152: `...built into the N. wall of the new parish church, behind the organ.' Nash-Williams/1950, 130: `Inside the church, mounted on the wall of the vestry.' |
Form: | cross-marked Westwood/1851 is quoted almost verbatim in Westwood/1879, 24. Westwood/1879, 24: `The stone is about 30 inches long and 16 wide, being of an oblong form, with the ornamental design and name incised.' Macalister/1949, 152: `A slab'. Nash-Williams/1950, 130: `Roughly shaped rectangular slab, decorated and inscribed. 27 1/2" h. x 16" w. x ?" t...The slab is akin in type to the Glamorganshire `Crux Christi' cross-slabs (p. 37), with the formula here replaced by the cross-symbol. The decoration shows Irish influence.' RCAHMW/1976, 43: `An incomplete slab with carved cross and part inscription'. |
Condition: | complete , good |
Folklore: | none |
Crosses: | 1: latin; interlace; tapering; bifid; curved; none; outer curv; none; n/a |
Decorations: | geometric ribbon interlace Westwood/1851 is quoted almost verbatim in Westwood/1879, 24. Westwood/1879, 24: `The ornament is formed by the regular interlacing of an endless double ribbon into a Greek +, the arms being united by double ribbons, so placed as to give the head of the cross a circular outline, very much in the style of some of the fine Irish crosses. The lower limb of the cross is smaller than the others, resting on a square base, also ornamented with an interlaced design, the ribbon being double in four of the interlacements, so as to give a more symmetrical idea to the figure. I do not recollect to have met with a more simple and elegant design in any of the numerous carved stones which I have examined.' Macalister/1949, 152, `A well-designed interlacing cross is pocked upon it'. Nash-Williams/1950, 130, `Carved Latin wheel-cross in low relief, formed of double-beaded interlacing, embodying Stafford-knots (R.A. 262) in the arm-ends and a square of eight-cord knot-work (R.A. 638) in the stem.' RCAHMW/1976, 43: `On the surviving part of the rectangular sandstone slab...is a ringed cross in false relief formed by double-beaded cords outlining a Greek cross with rounded angles and making squared Stafford-knots in the lower arm-ends. At the upper arm-end the cords instead of interlacing merge into a squared panel of narrow double-beaded knotwork, while at the foot the smaller knot rests on a stem in the form of a square panel of eight-cord knotwork incorporating a central cruciform break. The double-beaded arcs of the ring joining the arm-ends make circular inter-arm spaces.' |
Westwood, J.O. (1851): | +BRANCUF Expansion: +BRANCUF Redknap/1991 72 illustration of use only Westwood/1851 145 reading only Westwood/1876 24 concise discussion |
Rhys, J. (1876): | +BRANCU+ Expansion: +BRANCU+ Rhys/1876 244 reading only |
Macalister, R.A.S. (1949): | +BRANCU+ Expansion: +BRANCU+ Macalister/1949 152 reading only |
Nash-Williams, V.E. (1950): | +BRANCUF Expansion: +BRANCUF Translation: (The Cross of) Brancuf (PN). Nash-Williams/1950 130 reading only |
RCAHMW (1976): | +BRANCU:F[-- Expansion: +BRANCU F[ECIT?] RCAHMW/1976 43 reading only Redknap/1991 55 reading only |
Orientation: | vertical down |
Position: | ind ; broad ; beside cross ; undivided Macalister/1949, 152: `...running downward on the sinister side of the cross-stem'. Nash-Williams/1950, 130: `Latin inscription (Fig. 139) to r. of cross-stem, in one line reading vertically downwards'. RCAHMW/1976, 43: `To the right of the stem an incomplete Latin inscription is incised down the face'. |
Incision: | pocked Nash-Williams/1950, 130: `...neatly picked.' |
Date: | 800 - 899 (Nash-Williams/1950) This dating is supported by Redknap/1991, 55. 850 - 950 (RCAHMW/1976) RCAHMW/1976, 43, `By Irish parallels[3] the slab should belong to the late 9th or early 10th century. `[3] Proc. Roy. Irish Acad., Vol. 61 (C, 2963), pp. 129-32, 142.' 800 - 999 (Westwood/1851) Westwood/1851 is quoted almost verbatim in Westwood/1879, 24. Westwood/1879, 24, `Of the age of this stone it is not easy to give a decided opinion without more information respecting the person commemorated thereby. At all events, I do not think I shall be far wrong in assigning to it a date not earlier than the ninth or later than the tenth century. The absence of Roman capitals removes it from the earlier period of some of these stones. Dr. Petrie informs us that he had met with no carved stones in Ireland bearing the triquetra later than the tenth century,[1] and it will be seen that the two sides and lower knot of the cross in Brancuf's stone are formed precisely on the plan of the triquetra, the only difference being that the ends of the ribbon forming the apex of each of the triquetrae, instead of being joined together so as to complete the figure, here extend obliquely outwards, so as to form parts of the adjacent triquetrae. The inscription itself bears great similarity to that upon the tombstone of Blaimac, Abbot of Clonmacnoise + 896, a figure of which is given by Dr. Petrie,[2] which, like the one before us, simply bears the name of the deceased. `[1] Essay on the Round Towers, p. 322. `[2] Ib. p. 323.' |
Language: | name only (rbook) |
Ling. Notes: | RCAHMW/1976, 43: `...the complete inscription presumably included the word fecit.' |
Palaeography: | Westwood/1851 is quoted almost verbatim in Westwood/1879, 24. Westwood/1879, 24: `All the letters are minuscules of the form to which the term Anglo-Saxon has ordinarily been applied, but which might with equal propriety be termed Irish or British, and which is found on many of the inscribed stones both of Ireland and Wales. The rounded form of the b, the p-like form of the r, the y or rather q-like form of the u, and the F-like form of the very distinct terminal f,[1] are all especial forms of these different minuscule letters. The invocation of the Saviour, indicated by the prefixed +, is by no means common on the monumental stones of Wales, although it occurs twice on the stone of St. Cadfan, and several times on the cross of St. Samson at Llantwit (Plates III and IV). `[1] It has been incorrectly suggested (Arch. Camb. 1876, p. 244) that the inscription `should be read + brancu +, in which case the name would be an early form of Brengi.' ' Rhys/1876, 244 (in a review of Huebner/1876): `Possibly +brancuf is to be read +brancu+'. Macalister/1949, 152: `preceded and followed by a small cross. The upper terminal of the second cross is bifid, and Westwood erroneously took this figure for the letter F.' Nash-Williams/1950, 130: `Round half-uncials'. RCAHMW/1976, 43: `rounded half-uncials'. Redknap/1991, 55: `round half-uncials'. |
Legibility: | good Westwood/1851 is quoted almost verbatim in Westwood/1879, 24. Westwood/1879, 24: `The inscription is equally simple and perfectly legible'. |
Lines: | 1 |
Carving errors: | 0 |
Doubtful: | no |
Jackson/1953, 484 note 1: `The inscription … is more probably + BRANCUF. The stone is broken off immediately after the F, and the full inscription must have been Brancu fecit … The name would be the older *Brancum [Nash-Williams takes the name as Brancuf (ECMW. P. 130), which would be an unparalleled use of f for m so early, and is very improbable at this date.]'.
Rhys/1876, 244 (in a review of Hubner/1876): `Possibly +brancuf is to be read +brancu+. In that case the name would be an early form of Brengi'.