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Summary

Nun's Cross, also known as 'Siward's Cross' stands on Walkhampton Common 160 metres north-west of Nun's farm. It is 2.2 metres in height and is inscribed with 'Bocland' (thought to be 'Buckland') on the western face and 'Siward' on the eastern face. It marks the boundary between Walkhampton and Dartmoor Forest and stands on a track leading between Buckfast and Tavistock Abbeys. It also marks a v13th century boundary between land belonging to Buckland Abbey and the Forest of Dartmoor, which belonged to the Crown. Broken in 1846 it was repaired and strengthened with iron rods which are still visible.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1009096: Siward's or Nun's Cross

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66NW10
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441591
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/20
• Old SAM County Ref: 542
• Old SAM Ref: 24133
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX66NW10

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOUNDARY CROSS (Constructed, X to XIII - 1000 AD? (Between) to 1280 AD (Between))
• WAYSIDE CROSS (XIX - 1846 AD (Between) to 1846 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Siward's or Nun's Cross (Stone Cross)' marked on 19th century map.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 309 (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

'Siward' or 'Nun's Cross', inscribed stone cross. 2.2 metres high, arms 0.8 metres wide. Latin form. The western face bears the inscription ‘Bocland’ in two lines below an incised cross at the junction of the arms. The eastern face bears the word ‘Si (or y) ward’. This appears to be later lettering as though it had been added after the cross had borne this name in order to perpetuate it.
The cross was standing in the year 1241. It marks the boundary between the Forest of Dartmoor and the manor of Walkhampton. It is also on the line of the Abbot's Way. It is associated with Seward, Earl of Northumbria who held the neighbouring manors of Tavy and Warme in the reign of Edward the Confessor. It is a granite boundary cross between the property of Buckland Abbey and the Forest of Dartmoor belonging to the crown in the 12th century, and was mentioned in the Perambulation of Dartmoor in 1240 as a boundary, and again in the Abbey foundation charter of 1280. The cross was damaged, and repaired by iron supports in 1846. It is a tall cross of rough rectangular section with small arms, set up in a socket cut of a block of granite sunk in the turf.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1951, SX66NW10 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV350544.

(10/09/1978) At SX 60466994 Siward's or Nun's Cross. Incised.
A tall cross of rough rectangular section with small arms set up in a socket cut in block of granite sunk in the turf. The shaft has been broken and was re-erected in 1846. On the eastern face is incised the word "SIWARD" and on the western face there is a small incised cross and below it, the inscription "BOC LOND". This cross is mentioned in the Buckland Abbey foundation deed of 1280, and is a boundary mark of the Forest of Dartmoor, being also mentioned in the Perambulation of 1240. The cross is as described by Phillips. The shaft, 2.3m high and in section 0.3m x 0.4m, is set in a base approximately 1.0m square and flush with the ground. See phtographs.
Surveyed at 1:10000 on PFD.

Starkey, F. H., 1983, Dartmoor Crosses and Some Ancient Tracks, 24-7 (Monograph). SDV345128.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1984, Supplementary Notes on the Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon (Seventh Paper), 145-146, Fig. 12 (Article in Serial). SDV345276.

Inscription reads ‘boc lond’.

Hemery, E., 1986, Walking Dartmoor's Ancient Tracks, 152 (Monograph). SDV220153.

Crossing, W., 1987, Ancient Stone Crosses of Dartmoor and its Borderland. Revised Edition, 73-78 (Monograph). SDV268145.

Gerrard, S., 1990-1994, Monument Protection Programme (Report - Survey). SDV350743.

Site visit 9th May 1994. Wayside cross known as Siward or Nun's Cross. Lies immediately next to a long established track leading between Buckfast and Tavistock Abbeys. Stands 2.2 metres high; arms measure 0.8 metres wide. Lies on level ground between two hills and also represents a boundary marker between the 13th century properties of Buckland Abbey and the Forest of Dartmoor which belonged to the crown. In 1240, at the Perambulation of the Forest of Dartmoor this cross was described as Crucem Siwardi, and later in 1280, 1291 and 1609 it is mentioned as being a bound mark.
The monument includes a large granite cross with a latin head and a tapering shaft inserted into a socket stone. The w face bears the inscription ‘boclond’ in two lines below an incised cross at the junction of the arms. This inscription probably refers to Buckland Abbey, on whose side of the stone, it is inscribed. The word ‘Siward’ is incised into the east face of the cross, and it is considered that this may be recording that it once also formed an 11th century boundary marker for land belonging to Siward Earl of Northumberland.
In approximately 1846 the cross was pushed to the ground and broken in half. Within two years it was re-erected and strengthened with iron rods which are still visible. Iron bands may need replacing. Poaching around socket stone needs monitoring. Other details: Photographs taken of cross.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, 222-3, Map 64 (Monograph). SDV337765.

Nuns Cross had been standing for over a century before the 1240 Perambulation of the Forest. It was also one of the limits of Walkhampton Manor to the west, lands which were later to become part of the foundation endowment of Buckland Abbey and the probable explanation for the inscription on the west face of the cross, 'BOCLAND' below a small incised cross. A crudely cut inscription angled across the arms on the opposite face reads 'SYWARD'. This was the medieval name for the cross and refers to an Earl of Northumberland who possessed some manors in the district in the 11th century. The cross also stands at the junction of the east-west 'Monks Path' to Buckland with the Tavistock branch of the 'Abbot's Way'.

Swete, J. (ed. Gray T. + Rowe, M.), 2000, Travels in Georgian Devon. The Illustrated Journals of the Reverend John Swete. Vol. 4, 53 (Monograph). SDV339713.

Wessex Archaeology, 2002, Cramber Tor Training Area Rapid Condition Survey, WA227 (Report - Survey). SDV354588.

English Heritage, 2005, Survey Information (miscellaneous date) (Report - Survey). SDV345855.

Cross shown on survey.

Newman, P., 2007, Cramber Tor Training Area Monument Baseline Condition Survey, No. 441591 (Report - Survey). SDV348210.

Site visit 1st August 2006. A tall cross of rough rectangular section with small arms set up in a socket cut in a block of granite sunk into the turf. Damaged and repaired in 19th century. Under threat by use as an animal rubbing post.
The cross is mentioned in the Buckland Abbey foundation deed of 1280 and also represents a boundary marker between the 13th century properties of Buckland Abbey and the Forest of Dartmoor, which belonged to the crown.
Good, stable condition.

Probert, S., 2008, Follow-Up Works to Cramber Tor Archaeological Baseline Condition Survey, Dartmoor Training Area, 6, Figure 5, No. 441591 (Report - Survey). SDV351304.

The erosion hollow at the base of the cross has been filled in in recent years.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

'Siward's or Nun's Cross' depicted on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2011, National Heritage List for England, 1009096 (National Heritage List for England). SDV347072.

Large granite wayside cross, known as Siward's or Nun's Cross. Cross stands 2.2 metres high and its arms measure 0.8 metres wide. It has a Latin head and a tapering shaft inserted into a socket stone. Inscribed. Date first scheduled 10th November 1964. Date of most recent amendment; 6th October 2000. See record for full detail.

Greeves, T., 2012, Cramber Tor Training Area. Monument Condition Survey, No. 441591 (Report - Survey). SDV350251.

Site visit 5th December 2012. Condition and stability good.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6152 - Follow-up Works to Threatened Sites in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6153 - Monument Baseline Condition Survey in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6034 - Monument Condition Survey in Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV7382 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8711 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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