Rethinking the pillar of Eliseg

Abstract

The Pillar of Eliseg, originally an ambitious round-shafted cross, stands on a barrow near the Cistercian abbey of Valle Crucis. It was carved with a lengthy inscription, now illegible, but transcribed in 1696 by Edward Lhuyd. Two copies have survived, enabling a reconsideration of the significance of the inscription. This article reassesses the history of the monument, its archaeological context, form and function. The inscription shows that the cross was erected by Concenn, ruler of Powys (dad854), to honour his great-grandfather, Eliseg, who had expelled the Anglo-Saxons from this part of Powys. The inscription also links the rulers of Powys with the Roman usurper Magnus Maximus and the sub-Roman ruler Guarthigirn. It is argued that the inscription was intended to be read out loud and that the monument was an important piece of public propaganda erected at a time when the kingdom of Powys was severely under threat.

Introduction: Stones in Substance, Space and Time

“…Likewise, James et al's (2008) study of the Hilton of Cadboll cross-slab examines the detailed history of the monument from its construction to the contesting identities and narratives claiming it in the recent past. These approaches have informed Edwards' careful reinterpretation of the ninthcentury Pillar of Eliseg and its 'afterlife', which draws upon antiquarian sources as well as the surviving monument (Edwards 2009;2013, 322-36). Another notable study is Hall et al's exploration of the cultural biography of the Crieff Burgh Cross, which by close examination of the monument and its history not only suggested a primary original location and context for the cross but also charted its development as an agent in post-medieval judicial punishment (Hall et al 2000).…”

“…Excavations also revealed details of aspects of the monument's subsequent biography, including its rehabilitation in the late eighteenth century. Moreover, the fieldwork has enhanced our understanding of the topographical setting of the cross in the early medieval landscape as a landmark along routes and possibly a site of assembly on a plateau within the valley, with striking acoustics created by the surrounding hills (Edwards 2009;Williams 2011b). Like Maen Achwyfan but a century earlier, the Pillar was a place of memory and assembly in the early medieval landscape.…”

Land, People and Power in Early Medieval Wales: The cantref of Cemais in comparative perspective

“…It is therefore unfortunate (to say the least) that there is little Welsh research to offer pan-regional reviews of early medieval settlement and landscapes, like that of Gabor Thomas (2012). Its focal places are poorly understood, and its assembly sites are substantially unidentified: before this research began, only one site in the whole of Wales had been definitively identified and published (Comeau 2014, 270-1;Edwards et al 2005, 33-6;Edwards 2009b;Edwards et al 2011, 2).…”

Interpreting Wat’s Dyke in the 21st Century

“…Hingley 2012) but moreover, it also involves recognising and exploring narratives which link together the Dyke with the few other early medieval sites and monuments in this region. By this, I not only refer to Offa's Dyke but also sites yielding early medieval stone sculpture at Hope church (SJ 310 584), and the early ninth-century Pillar of Eliseg near Valle Crucis Abbey (SJ 203 445) (Edwards 2009;Tong et al 2015;Murrieta-Flores and Williams 2017;Williams and Evans 2020).…”