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Viking Crosses Found at Church

The discovery came after a section of the wall of the churchyard fell down last February.

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Two crosses from the Viking era and earlier have been found at Jurby church.

The discovery came after a section of the wall of the churchyard fell down last February.

In amongst the wall, pieces of two crosses were discovered dating back over 1,000 years.

Culture Vannin said: ‘They had lain there undetected for about 200 years as a part of the wall, and, as well as being amazing and beautiful things in themselves, they tell us new information about Manx history.

‘This is the time to find out more, as the recent statement from the Church explains: “The early Christian missionaries built keeills […] Little was known about the Jurby Church keeill but in the latter part of the 19th Century PMC Kermode noted that several of the Jurby Manx Crosses were found in or leaning against the churchyard wall. […]

“However in February last year […] a section of the churchyard wall was blown down in a storm. Stones from the old keeill and the old church were found. […] Materials from that, from remains of a keeill and from broken up Manx Crosses had evidently been used to build the churchyard wall.”

Images of these crosses and further information will be on display in the church every day from now until 17th August.