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 wayside cross 225m north east of Scarhill Cross survives comparatively
well, despite having been moved slightly from its original location. Its
incised decoration contributes to its archaeological significance. It is one
of a small number of crosses which survive in this area.
Details
This monument includes a wayside cross situated on the northern side of a
minor road to South Tawton and immediately to the south of the main A30
trunk road, on an upland ridge which is the watershed between the valleys
of tributaries to the River Yeo and River Taw. The monument survives as a
simple Latin cross carved from a single piece of granite. The cross shaft
is rectangular in section, measures 0.35m long by 0.16m wide and is 1.9m
high. At 1.4m from the base the arms extend outwards and measure 0.53m
wide. At a height of 0.85m from the base, on the north and south sides of
the cross, are oval notches for gate hangings. The east and west faces of
the cross both bear an incised cross decoration which measures 0.26m high
by 0.23m wide. The cross was moved to its present location following major
improvements to the A30 in November 1988.
The cross is Listed Grade II.
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.
