Gloucester Cathedral

A stone cross carved by a prisoner of war has been selected to represent Gloucestershire as part of the BBC’s History of the World project.

Andrew Fox, head of Gloucester City Council’s Museum service was asked by BBC Gloucestershire to help them choose ten items to represent the county.

The 25 cm high cross, carved in a Celtic style, was presented to the Dean and Chapter of Gloucester Cathedral in 1953. It is placed near the north ambulatory chapel, which contains a memorial window to the Gloster Regiment who fought in the Korean War.

The Dean of Gloucester Cathedral, Nicholas Bury, said: “We are very proud to have the Carne Cross at the Cathedral and it is one of our very special treasures. It is placed close to the chapel in which there is a memorial window to those killed at the Battle of Imjin River. It was presented to the Cathedral when the regiment finally came home. It represents the great fortitude and bravery of those very special Gloucestershire people who fought in the “forgotten” Korean conflict. Among them was, of course, Colonel Carne himself but also Colonel the Reverend Sam Davies, the only chaplain to survive the rigours of the concentration camp and who celebrated the Holy Communion service with the men in the camp with Colonel Carne’s cross on the altar. The cross reminds me of Jesus words, expressing the fact that however dreadful the conditions people find themselves in “wherever two or three people are gathered in my name, I am in the midst of them.”

A History of the World is a partnership between the BBC and the British Museum that focuses on world history, involving collaborations between teams across the BBC, and schools, museums and audiences across the UK. The project focuses on the things we have made, from flint to mobile phone.