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.
Details
The monument includes a village cross on a five step calvary in the village of
Clearwell. The cross is complete and sits on a junction of three roads.
The cross includes a five step calvary, pedestal, socket stone, shaft and
head. The first step of the calvary is 4.4m square and 0.3m high, the next
step is 3.8m square and 0.25m high. The remaining three steps rising from this
are 3.1m, 2.45m, and 1.8m square and 0.3m, 0.25m and 0.3m high respectively.
These five steps are composed of old weathered stones now cemented together.
Above this the pedestal is in the form of four Gothic style niches each 1.15m
long and c.1.8m high. On the top of the pedestal is a block of squared stone
c.0.7m square. All these features are built of grey forest stone and appear to
be contemporary representing the oldest part of the cross. The shaft, with
broaches at its base, is an octagonal pillar c.2.2m high, surmounted by
circular mouldings and a cross.
The stone blocks of the calvary and the pedestal are of early 14th century
date, but the shaft and head are Victorian, designed by John Middleton in 1866
at the time he built St Peter's Church in the village. The cross is Listed
Grade II.
Excluded from the scheduling are the cobbles which surround the base of the
cross, the concrete and metal bollards at the four corners of the cross base
and the metalled road surface where this falls within the cross's protective
margin, although the ground beneath all of these features is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
28514
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
