Katherine CM Cross
@kcross
Historian of the Early Middle Ages based in York.
Great trip to Nunburnholme church today, where they have re-formed the Viking-Age cross correctly after 150 years joined the wrong way round. #medievalsky
I’ve accidentally ended up with a spare copy of this book - would someone like it? #medievalsky #vikingsky
Pseudo-museum section in new kids’ waiting/play area in York station Kind of feel like we could make this a real exhibit! #vikingsky
Proofs time! This was fun to write - making a case for the value of (early medieval) history in a collection for early childhood studies 😊
I think this is the bleakest manifestation of AI edtech I’ve been offered so far
Great to see the Melsonby Hoard on display for the first time at @yorkmuseumstrust.bsky.social - check out that huge block of Iron Age objects in the central case!
Excellent day in Liverpool at the Viking Society Student Conference (and launch of Eleanor Barraclough’s book)
Astounded to learn that York’s statue of Constantine was commissioned because York was apparently suffering from ‘a dearth of great men’ in statue form… castinstone.exeter.ac.uk/database/s/e...
A very packed York Unlocked weekend - my highlight was Thin Ice Press where I’ll definitely be returning! My kids got to make some lovely prints:
Came across this lead tank at the Faith Museum, Bishop Auckland. Apparently it shows Sigurd the Dragon Slayer… but what was it used for? #vikingsky
Checking out the stonework at @yorkmuseumstrust.bsky.social Viking North exhibition, including my absolute fave from Old Malton - gives us a glimpse of his forked beard and snake-headed seat
Anglo-Scandinavian beast built into the church porch at Pickering. Check out those teeth (and the spiral tongue!)
A quick trip to see this stone at All Saints Church, Kirby Underdale this morning. Apparently it’s 2nd-3rd c and shows Mercury. Thoughts? And other examples of Roman stone displayed in churches?
Wonderful to hear Jane Hawkes give the 2025 Kirkdale Lecture this weekend. The Friends of St Gregory’s Minster host the lecture every year, and do so much to care for this historic church. Anyone can join: www.kirkdalechurches.org.uk/st-gregorys-...
Of course my kid was the first to complete the public library / Jorvik reading challenge. Proud mother moment - but I’m ashamed to say I can’t figure out what these runes are meant to spell out… I’m terrible with runes, but what am I missing, #vikingsky?
Happy St Edmund’s day! Here he is in a medieval mural at St Andrew’s, Stoke Dry.
And here is the war memorial nearby in the churchyard, designed by Collingwood, taking inspiration from the Viking-Age crosses.
Hopelessly squinting at them to see what Collingwood saw 100 years ago
Visited the ‘Giant’s Grave’ in Penrith - a collection of Viking Age hogbacks and crosses that has been in the churchyard for at least 500 years
From my daughter’s joke book (Ahlbergs’ Ha Ha Bonk book). Did kids in the 80s understand this, I wonder?
Visiting churches this morning. I decided to stick to the rules and left my horse at the gate.
You know you’ve got the best mother-in-law when she gives you a treasure chest full of chocolate Alfred the Greats (Alfreds the Great?)