Medieval wayside cross base, 140m south of Trevemper Farm

Reasons for Designation

Wayside crosses are one of several types of Christian cross erected during the medieval period, mostly from the 9th to 15th centuries AD. In addition to serving the function of reiterating and reinforcing the Christian faith amongst those who passed the cross and of reassuring the traveller, wayside crosses often fulfilled a role as waymarkers, especially in difficult and otherwise unmarked terrain. The crosses might be on regularly used routes linking ordinary settlements or on routes having a more specifically religious function, including those providing access to religious sites for parishioners and funeral processions, or marking long-distance routes frequented on pilgrimages. Over 350 wayside crosses are known nationally, concentrated in south west England throughout Cornwall and on Dartmoor where they form the commonest type of stone cross. A small group also occurs on the North York Moors. Relatively few examples have been recorded elsewhere and these are generally confined to remote moorland locations. Outside Cornwall almost all wayside crosses take the form of a `Latin' cross, in which the cross-head itself is shaped within the projecting arms of an unenclosed cross. In Cornwall wayside crosses vary considerably in form and decoration. The commonest type includes a round, or `wheel', head on the faces of which various forms of cross or related designs were carved in relief or incised, the spaces between the cross arms possibly pierced. The design was sometimes supplemented with a relief figure of Christ and the shaft might bear decorative panels and motifs. Less common forms in Cornwall include the `Latin' cross and, much rarer, the simple slab with a low relief cross on both faces. Rare examples of wheel-head and slab-form crosses also occur within the North York Moors group. Most wayside crosses have either a simple socketed base or show no evidence for a separate base at all. Wayside crosses contribute significantly to our understanding of medieval religious customs and sculptural traditions and to our knowledge of medieval routeways and settlement patterns. All wayside crosses which survive as earth- fast monuments, except those which are extremely damaged and removed from their original locations, are considered worthy of protection.

The presence of this medieval wayside cross base at its original location where it supported a cross beside the main route east from the major medieval collegiate church at Crantock demonstrates well the major roles of wayside crosses, the development of the road network and the longevity of many routes still in use.

Details

The monument includes a medieval wayside cross base and a protective margin around it, situated at the centre of a minor road junction between Crantock and Newquay near the north coast of Cornwall. The cross base, which is Listed Grade II, is visible as a square stone slab, measuring 1.03m north-south by 0.95m east-west, with rounded corners. The cross base is groundfast, its upper surface projecting 0.12m above ground level. In the centre of the base is a round socket, 0.25m in diameter, cut to receive the cross shaft. This cross-base is located at a junction of three roads, south of the hamlet of Trevemper, on the route east from the parish church at Crantock to the lowest bridging point of the River Gannel at Trevemper Bridge. This route linked the important medieval collegiate church at Crantock with its dependent chapel and parish of St Columb Minor to the north east, and on a regional scale, with the main routes through Cornwall. The surface of the metalled road passing to the south of the cross-base but within the area of the protective margin and the modern road sign to the south east of the cross-base, are excluded from the scheduling but the ground beneath is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

26237

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Henderson, C, The Cornish Church Guide, (1928)
Langdon, A G, Old Cornish Crosses, (1896)

Other
Title: 1:25000 Ordnance Survey Map; SW 85/95 Source Date: 1983 Author: Publisher: Surveyor:
consulted 1994, Cornwall SMR entry for PRN 25037,

End of official list entry

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