Standing cross in St Mary's churchyard

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 standing cross in St Mary's churchyard at Kinwarton represent a good example of a standing stone cross with a rare carved shaft believed to date from the early medieval period. While parts of the cross survive from medieval times subsequent restoration has resulted in its continued function as a public monument and amenity.

Details

The monument includes the remains of a standing stone cross located in St Mary's churchyard, approximately 10m west of the south west corner of the church. The cross shaft, which is of early medieval date, was erected in this position in the late 19th century. The base of three steps, and the integral cross shaft and head are modern.

The base takes the form of three steps constructed of limestone and part of a modern memorial bearing inscriptions on the east and west faces of the top step. The base stands to a height of about 0.5m, and the bottom step covers an area approximately 1.7m square. Set on the top step is the limestone shaft, rectangular in section measuring 0.5m by 0.4m and standing approximately 1.2m high. An interlacing knot pattern is carved on the east, south and west faces of the shaft and is thought to date from the late 11th century. A modern limestone cross shaft with integral head is set on top of the medieval shaft. The head takes the form of a Latin cross with splayed ends and carving on the east and west faces.

The cross is Listed Grade II.

The gravestone which lies immediately to the east 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.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

33138

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
WA1564, (1999)

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