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 medieval wayside cross 200m north west of Trethew survives reasonably
well, despite the loss of its shaft. It is a good example of a wheel headed
cross which remains close to its original location on a church path from
Luxulyan to Lanlivery. It therefore maintains its function as a waymarker,
demonstrating well the major role of such wayside crosses and the longevity of
such routes.
Details
The monument includes a medieval wayside cross situated by the side of a
church path to the south west of Lanlivery.
The wayside cross, which is Listed Grade II, survives as a granite round
`wheel' head with a short section of shaft set into a round granite base. The
overall height of the monument is 0.74m. The principal faces are orientated
east-west and both bear a relief equal limbed cross with expanded ends to the
limbs with a small raised circle at their intersection. The head and shaft
measure 0.67m high, the head is 0.58m wide and 0.19m thick. The shaft measures
0.37m wide and is cemented into a circular base. This base measures 1.19m in
diameter and 0.07m high.
This cross is located by the side of a church path between Luxulyan to the
south west and Lanlivery to the north east, in a field which was called `Cross
Mould' on the 1841 Tithe Apportionment Map. The cross head was found in 1900
by the Vicar of Lanlivery. The cross base has remained close to its original
location. In 1941 the head was mounted on the base, but since then the head
was knocked over and set on the base rather insecurely. In 1988 the cross was
re-erected and cemented onto the base.
The post and wire fence to the south of the cross, where it falls within the
monument's protective margin, is excluded from the scheduling, although 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.
