Description: Outside the Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Wirksworth, the shaft of a mediaeval cross still stands on what seems to be the base of a much older cross - though the base itself is not ornamented in any way. Within the church building, a collection of Saxon-age stones are built into the walls of the church, testifying to the existence of a very ancient church foundation. Although the main fabric of the building is mediaeval, local tradition has always maintained that the first church was founded in the year 653; ever since 1820 there has been conclusive evidence that a church was flourishing here before the year 692. This collection of carved stones, built into the inside church wall, is near the North door of the transept. The stone appear to be a selection of capitals with almost celtic or norse carvings, and a bas-relief stone carved with two figures. Pevsner's guide (somewhat dated now) suggests that these are Norman, but the style of carvings suggests that they come from an earlier date. The stones have been placed into the wall during the medieval rebuilding of the church.