Dawn's Cross
At Michaelston-y-Fedw, volunteers for churchyard duty assembled with power tools, hand tools and enthusiasm. The churchyard was in need of attention. We meet each Tuesday evening and as we became accustomed to blisters and barked shins, results were soon seen. In several places light had not penetrated for years because of overgrown trees, brambles and nettles. In one of these areas a mystery begins.
As we hacked our way through, we saw rising above the brambles the top of a cross. Encouraged, we fought on and revealed a Celtic cross standing seven feet high. It was slim, made of stone covered with deep blue mosaic. A low tumbledown wall enclosed the area around it, with the words “The feast before us” chiselled into the curved base of the cross. A metal plaque displayed a single name “Dawn”, and beneath it a date: June 7th 1931.
This beautiful cross has withstood the elements for 79 years but not one of our church members recalled seeing it before and noone seems to know why it is there. Some thought it might be a grave but a search of the churchyard records found no corresponding burial. It faces west not east and is a distance from the other graves. The word “Dawn” in quotation marks is curious. If it is a name, why no surname? If it is not a name, what does it mean?
For weeks we pondered its origin as the volunteers cleared its surrounds. The low walls were rebuilt. The area was re-grassed and is now well-tended.
Many still don’t know of its existence. On mornings when, early for church, I sometimes visit this cross, this Dawn, I stop, I look, I wonder.
Denis Tarling
photo: Elfed Rees