ART. XXXV.-Masons' Marks from Furness and Calder Abbeys. By the EDITOR. IN N a previous volume of the Transactions of this Society there appeared four plates of masons' marks collected by Mr. William Creed, Clerk of the Works there, from the Abbey buildings, Carlisle.* Much interest has been taken in these plates in both masonic and archæological circles, and the Society now produces four more plates of marks from Furness and Calder Abbeys. The first three plates give 178 marks from Furness Abbey ;† these were collected by the late Mr. Joseph Fletcher and Mr. James Dees, and published in a tract form in 1858: as this cannot now be obtained, the collection is here reproduced by the kind permission of Mr. Dees. The fourth plate gives some examples from Calder Abbey, collected by the Rev. A. G. Loftie. At page 77 in this volume is an account of some remains, which have been, hesitatingly indeed, conjectured to be Roman. The writer, in company with Mr. John Fell, and Mr. Jackson, F.S.A., discovered masons' marks on them corresponding with those at Furness Abbey, from which the remains are not far distant. This disposes of the Roman theory. * Vol. v, p. 132. + In the Archæologia Vol. xxx, p. 113, Mr. Godwin gives 40 marks from Furness Abbey. ART. XXXVI.-Sculptured Runic Grave-Block at Dearham, W. Cumberland, date about A.D. 850-950. By Prof. GEORGE STEPHENS, F.S.A., and the Rev. W. S. CALVERLEY.* From drawings, light-bilds and rubbings forwarded by the Rev. W. S. Calverley. Engraved by Prof. MAGNUS PETERSEN, Ath. BADLY engraved by Daniel and Samuel Lysons in their Magna Britannia, Vol. iv., Cumberland, 4to, London 1816, a work of which no copy exists in Denmark. These gentlemen had not discovered the Latin and Runic inscriptions, which were first found by the Rev. W. S. Calverley, during repairs of his church in 1882. All that Dr. John Stuart, in his magnificent "Sculptured Stones of Scotland," folio, Vol. ii., Edinburgh 1867, Notices p. 18, says of this block is, that it is "covered with rude sculpture," and was probably part of an ancient cross; but he gives no authority for this last mistaken opinion. This sarcophagus has therefore hitherto been practically unknown, and we must all thank the zeal and care with which Mr. Calverley has workt upon it. At my request he has favored me with the following excellent details, with permission to use them here: Dearham Vicarage, Carlisle. Dearham Church, in the Diocese of Carlisle, stands on a howe something more than 100 feet above the sea level and at a distance, in a direct line, of two miles from the shore of the Solway and two miles and a half from the mouth of the river Ellen, eastward. This neck of land slopes quickly down on the east and north sides to Rowbeck, whilst on the west and south two little ghylls running into the beck, almost divide the peninsula from the main land. The position is naturally strong. On the opposite side of Rowbeck, and facing the *Printed from advance sheets, kindly furnished by Professor Stephens, of "Old Northern Runic Monuments of Scandinavia and England.” east |