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Summary

Wayside cross situated on a ridge between the Holy Brook and River Mardle, standing on a triangular-shaped road island adjacent to an old tree known as Stumpy Oak. This cross is one of several that denote a route known as the Monks' Path, linking the medieval abbeys of Buckfast, Tavistock and Buckland. The cross includes a socket stone, a mostly modern shaft and a short length of original shaft together with the head and arms. The socket stone now lies largely buried below the turf and supports a 2.18 metres high Latin cross. The modern shaft measures 0.36 metres by 0.34 metres at the base and 0.28 metres by 0.29 metres at the top. The arms of the cross measure 0.8 metres wide and the head is 0.27 metres high.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1168466: HAWSON CROSS
• Scheduled Monument 1021102: Hawson Cross

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX76NW6
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 444794
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX76NW/2
• Old SAM County Ref: 865
• Old SAM Ref: 34446
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX76NW6

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WAYSIDE CROSS (Constructed, XIII to Mid 20th Century - 1300 AD (Between) to 1952 AD (Between))

Full description

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 338 (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

Cross built into the wall near the gate leading to Hawson, on the road from Holne to Buckfastleigh, about 1 kilometre south of Holne. Type A. A small portion of the shaft, with head and arm, of a cross of rectangular section. Restored and re-erected in its original site in 1954 at Stumpy Oaks Crossroads. Now has new shaft inserted in a rough granite base stone set flush with the turf. Presumably one of the crosses marking the track from Buckfast to the western side of the moor. Well-restored.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1951, SX76NW6 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV220982.

(03/07/1951) As described by Masson Phillips. Height now 0.7m, span across the arms 0.8m. The south-east arm has been broken at some time and carefully cemented into place.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1954, Supplementary Notes on the Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon (Fourth Paper), 175, plate 20 (Article in Serial). SDV15725.

Ancient Monuments, 1971, Hawson Cross, 14/1/1971 (Schedule Document). SDV171737.

Shaft square sectioned and slightly tapering towards the top. The head and arm are all about 1 foot square. Right arm re-attached. Masson Phillips type B. Attributed to the 14th-15th century.

Starkey, F. H., 1983, Dartmoor Crosses and Some Ancient Tracks, 31 (Monograph). SDV345128.

The head was mounted on a modern shaft, designed by EN Masson Philips and stands 7 feet 3 inches tall. It is reasonably certain that the Hawson Cross was one of the marker's along the Marker's Path (Abbot's Way, LIN 121).

Robinson, R., 1983, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1983 (Un-published). SDV345762.

Visited on 9/2/1983.

Department of Environment, 1986, West Buckfastleigh, 82 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV347601.

Wayside Cross. Medieval. Granite monolithic Latin cross about seven feet high and roughly square in section. The shaft and one of the arms are broken but are now joined.

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

'Cross (restored)' is depicted on the modern mapping.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England, Accessed 13/07/2016 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

The monument includes a wayside cross situated on a ridge between the Holy Brook and River Mardle. The cross stands on a triangular-shaped road island adjacent to an old tree known as Stumpy Oak. This cross is one of several that denote a route known as the Monks' Path, which linked the medieval abbeys of Buckfast, Tavistock and Buckland. Other crosses along this route are the subject of separate schedulings. The cross includes a socket stone, a mostly modern shaft and a short length of original shaft together with the head and arms. The socket stone now lies largely buried below the turf and supports a 2.18m high Latin cross. The modern shaft measures 0.36m by 0.34m at the base and 0.28m by 0.29m at the top. The arms of the cross measure 0.8m wide and the head is 0.27m high.
The cross was restored by the Dartmoor Preservation Association in 1952. The cross is Listed Grade II.
Despite historic damage, the wayside cross known as Hawson Cross survives comparatively well and together with a number of other crosses denotes the route of a medieval track leading across the moor between Tavistock and Buckfast Abbeys.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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