A great deal of interest has centred round an Anglo-Saxon cross-slab built into the west wall of Kirkdale church. At the time of its discovery the late Rev. Daniel H. Haigh[1] tells us that a runic inscription spelling _Kununc Oithilwalde_, meaning "to King AEthelwald," was quite legible. This would seem to indicate that the founder of Lastingham monastery was buried at Kirkdale, or that the site of Bede's, "Laestingaeu" was at Kirkdale if the stone has not been moved from its original position. [Footnote 1: _Yorkshire Archaeological Journal_, v. 134.] [Illustration: Saxon or Pre-Norman Remains at and near Pickering.] The inscription has now perished, but Bishop Browne tells us[1] that when he had photographs taken of the stone in 1886 "there was only one rune left, the 'Oi' of the king's name." "I have seen, however," he says, "the drawing made of the letters when the stone was found, and many of them were still legible when the Rev. Daniel Haigh worked at the stone." There seems little doubt that this most valuable inscription might have been preserved if the stone had been kept from the action of the air and weather. [Footnote 1: Browne, Rt. Rev. G.F.: "The Conversion of the Heptarchy," p. 151.] There are several other pre-Norman sculptured stones at Kirkdale. They are generally built into the walls on the exterior, and are not very apparent unless carefully looked for. In the vestry some fragments of stone bearing interlaced ornament are preserved. Not only at Kirkdale are these pre-Norman stones built into walls that appear to belong to a date prior to the Conquest, but also at Middleton there is a fine cross forming part of the fabric of the church tower. The west doorway now blocked up is generally considered to be of Saxon work, but the quoins of the tower, though bearing much resemblance to the pure "long and short" work that may be seen at Bradford-on-Avon, are composed of stones that are almost equal in height. [Illustration: Cross Slab inserted in West Wall of Kirkdale Church. The runes which gave rise to the belief that this was the gravestone of King AEthelwald have perished. Slab with Interlaced Ornament at Kirkdale Church. (_Both crosses are from the Associated Architectural Societies' Reports_.) ]