Reasons for Designation
A standing cross is a free standing upright structure, usually of stone,
mostly erected during the medieval period (mid 10th to mid 16th centuries AD).
Standing crosses served a variety of functions. In churchyards they served as
stations for outdoor processions, particularly in the observance of Palm
Sunday. Elsewhere, standing crosses were used within settlements as places for
preaching, public proclamation and penance, as well as defining rights of
sanctuary. Standing crosses were also employed to mark boundaries between
parishes, property, or settlements. A few crosses were erected to commemorate
battles. Some crosses were linked to particular saints, whose support and
protection their presence would have helped to invoke. Crosses in market
places may have helped to validate transactions. After the Reformation, some
crosses continued in use as foci for municipal or borough ceremonies, for
example as places for official proclamations and announcements; some were the
scenes of games or recreational activity.
Standing crosses were distributed throughout England and are thought to have
numbered in excess of 12,000. However, their survival since the Reformation
has been variable, being much affected by local conditions, attitudes and
religious sentiment. In particular, many cross-heads were destroyed by
iconoclasts during the 16th and 17th centuries. Less than 2,000 medieval
standing crosses, with or without cross-heads, are now thought to exist. The
oldest and most basic form of standing cross is the monolith, a stone shaft
often set directly in the ground without a base. The most common form is the
stepped cross, in which the shaft is set in a socket stone and raised upon a
flight of steps; this type of cross remained current from the 11th to 12th
centuries until after the Reformation. Where the cross-head survives it may
take a variety of forms, from a lantern-like structure to a crucifix; the more
elaborate examples date from the 15th century. Much less common than stepped
crosses are spire-shaped crosses, often composed of three or four receding
stages with elaborate architectural decoration and/or sculptured figures; the
most famous of these include the Eleanor crosses, erected by Edward I at the
stopping places of the funeral cortege of his wife, who died in 1290. Also
uncommon are the preaching crosses which were built in public places from the
13th century, typically in the cemeteries of religious communities and
cathedrals, market places and wide thoroughfares; they include a stepped base,
buttresses supporting a vaulted canopy, in turn carrying either a shaft and
head or a pinnacled spire. Standing crosses contribute significantly to our
understanding of medieval customs, both secular and religious, and to our
knowledge of medieval parishes and settlement patterns. All crosses which
survive as standing monuments, especially those which stand in or near their
original location, are considered worthy of protection.
The remains of the churchyard cross in St Bridget's churchyard is a good
example of a medieval standing cross with a stepped base, an octagonal socket
stone and the remains of a square to octagonal shaft. Located in a prominent
position to the south east of the south porch it is believed to stand in or
near to its original position. The cross has not been significantly restored,
however the addition of the sundial demonstrates the continued function of the
cross as a public monument and amenity.
Details
The monument includes the remains of a standing stone cross, located within
the churchyard of St Bridget's Church, approximately 8m to the south east of
the south porch. The cross, which is Listed Grade II, is of stepped form and
is principally medieval in date. It includes the base of four steps and a
socket stone, the remains of the shaft and a bronze sundial.
The four steps are constructed from soft, red sandstone blocks, similar to
those used in the construction of the church. The bottom step is approximately
2.9m in diameter and 0.15m high. Six sandstone blocks survive from the now
incomplete step. The middle two steps are 2.2m and 1.85m in diameter, and both
are 0.23m high, now collapsed on the north side. The top step measures 1.5m in
diameter and 0.24m high. All the steps are unmortared. The socket stone rests
on the top step; it is octagonal in plan with a diameter of 0.93m and a height
of 0.57m, and is reduced by a bevel at the top to a smaller octagon. The
remaining part of the shaft is mortised into the socket stone and bonded with
lead, and more recently with mortar. It is 0.23m square at the base, rising
through chamfered corners to an octagon, with a diameter of 0.17m. The shaft
extends to a height of 0.36m. Riveted to the top of the shaft is a square
bronze sundial, which carries a worn inscription. The full height of the cross
is approximately 2.03m.
The gravestone to the west of the cross is excluded from the scheduling,
although the ground beneath it is included.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 1 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.
