William Slater Calverley

William Slater Calverley (1847–1898) was an unassuming rural English vicar who through diligent study and painstaking scrutiny became an extraordinary amateur antiquarian.

After finding several pre-Norman sculptures he contacted leading authorities, and formed a close working relationship with the English born professor, George Stephens of Copenhagen University.

G. F. Browne (later Bishop of Bristol) published his research into the meaning of the Scandinavian legends on the cross at Leeds, and the one at Kirk Andreas, Isle of Man.

In February 1891, Calverley interpreted the Völsung myth at Halton in a lecture to the Lancaster Philosophical Society and later that year he read a paper on the same subject to an audience at the Royal Archaeological Institute at Edinburgh.

He made intricate drawings of the 'Standing Cross', which at that time stood in its own rectangular socket in the south side of the churchyard, and compared its markings to other artefacts in the county.

He reproduced the markings in intricate detail and the replica cross now stands in its own socket in the east end of Aspatria churchyard, a few feet away from Calverley's final resting place.

[5] As to the significance of the Gosforth Cross; Stephens, on visiting the site, pronounced it, "one of the costliest olden Roods in Europe" – unique in all his experience, and "probably of seventh century date.

In addition to delivering a large number of technical papers to a variety of Societies and historical organisations he was heavily involved in the excavation of the Hardknott Roman Fort, South Cumberland.

[8] He died before the publication of his magnum opus entitled Notes on the Early Sculptured Crosses, Shrines and Monuments in the Present Diocese of Carlisle, which was published in 1898 with W. G. Collingwood as editor.

The Rev W. S. Calverley, Antiquarian
Grave Stone Memorial for W S Calverley at St. Kentigern's Church, Aspatria, designed by his friend and colleague, W. G. Collingwood , and based on the Dearham Cross [ 2 ]
The Replica Gosforth Cross at Aspatria
Some of the decorations on the Replica Gosforth Cross 1
Some of the decorations on the Replica Gosforth Cross 2