The Market Cross
THE MARKET CROSS, MARKET PLACE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1383027
- Date first listed:
- 12-Nov-1953
- List Entry Name:
- The Market Cross
- Statutory Address:
- THE MARKET CROSS, MARKET PLACE
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-04-30
- Reference:
- IOE01/03211/35
- Rights:
- © John Boothroyd. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1383027
- Date first listed:
- 12-Nov-1953
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 31-May-2000
- List Entry Name:
- The Market Cross
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE MARKET CROSS, MARKET PLACE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- THE MARKET CROSS, MARKET PLACE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Somerset (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Wells
- National Grid Reference:
- ST 54994 45763
Details
WELLS
ST5445 MARKET PLACE
662-1/7/164 (West side)
12/11/53 The Market Cross
(Formerly Listed as:
MARKET STREET
The Fountain)
GV II*
Market cross with fountain. c1797 by Harcourt Masters of Bath.
Limestone. Triangular-plan monument in Gothic style with
classical base, set in a circular pool. Rusticated base with
frosted rustication to corner shafts, the NW and SW faces
having pointed-arched recesses with former outlets for water;
the E face has a cascade.
Ogee-arched openings with flower carvings to architraves to
central block above, framed by 5-shafted columns with foliate
capitals and surmounted by finials with frosted rustication.
Centre section is crowned by a shallow coved cornice with
similar flower-type carvings, and frosted rustication finials
to corners and to ogee-domed top. Pool is surrounded by wall
with chamfered plinth and moulded coping; the pool is breached
by a platform on the NW and SW faces.
HISTORICAL NOTE: this replaced Bishop Becknynton's conduit
which was demolished in 1796, and was gravity fed by a pump
house in the garden of the Bishop's Palace (qv). It cost »150
to build.
(Serel T: The History of Wells, published lecture of
03.05.1858: 1858-).
Listing NGR: ST5499645765
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 483445
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Serel, T, The History of Wells, (1858)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 11-Jun-2026 at 15:01:13.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.