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Summary

Arms and head of a massive but crudely worked Medieval wayside cross of coarse-grained granite, built into the base of a hedge on the north side of a minor road, immediately opposite the entrance to Lower Elsford Farm. Cross consists only of the head and arms of what was once, or what was intended to be, a massive medieval wayside cross (width across arms is 0.8 metres). It is an indicator of the size of crosses that once existed in this area.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1009183: Lower Elsford cross: a wayside cross opposite the entrance to Lower Elsford Farm

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX78SE28
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 898379
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX78SE/16
• Old SAM Ref: 24835

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WAYSIDE CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Tyler, F. C., 1924-1925, Elsford Cross, 252 (Article in Serial). SDV279639.

Cross found at junction of road with lane to Elsford Farm. When found it was partly buried in the ground up to the lower edges of the arms.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 323 (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

SX79238291. Type A cross near Elsford Farm on the road from Hennock to Moretonhampstead. The head portion of a massive cross of rude rectangular section, with one arm broken, low down in the hedge by the roadside.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1984, Supplementary Notes on the Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon (Seventh Paper), 142 (Article in Serial). SDV345276.

Has not been seen in recent years; perhaps completely overgrown. It was 2 feet 9 inches high and 2 feet 9 inches (?) across the arms.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1987, Supplementary Notes on the Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon (Eighth Paper), 241, 243 (Article in Serial). SDV350260.

Rediscovered and restored to view in January 1985.

Ancient Monuments, 1993, Elsford Cross (Schedule Document). SDV279634.

Head and arms of massive, crudely worked Medieval wayside cross of coarse grained granite, built into base of hedge. Arms aligned north-west by south-east.
Visible height 0.6 metres. Width across arms 0.8 metres. The north-western arm broken off and cracked, but its top surface is flat and joins head with neat right angle. From head it extends about 0.2 metres. Below the arms it extends 0.12 metres from the main shaft. Depth 0.2 metres. The south-east arm looks unfinished. Extends 0.17 metres from head of cross and is 0.34 metres deep. Underside is flush with ground. Against arms, on south-west face, head is 0.44 metres wide. Extends 0.25 metres above arms.
Cross is relatively slight - approximately 0.16 to 0.2 metres thick. Whole appearance is crude, and it may be an unfinished specimen that went wrong in manufacture. On opposite side of road, at western corner of farm entrance, is an upright block of coarse granite, roughly rectangular. This has no particular distinguishing feature, but could have been part of a cross shaft. This block does not form part of the scheduling.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1998, Letter relating to Elsford Cross, 7/9/1998 (Correspondence). SDV279642.

Consent granted for the re-positioning of the cross.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1999, Letter relating to Elsford Cross, 2/6/1999 (Correspondence). SDV279643.

Consent granted for repairs to and the re-joining of the cross head and shaft, and the reinstatement of the monument in its original location.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England, Accessed 19/07/2016 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

The monument includes the arms and head of a massive but crudely worked medieval wayside cross of coarse-grained granite, built into the base of a hedge on the north side of a minor road, immediately opposite the entrance to Lower Elsford Farm. The cross is set at a slight angle into the hedge, so that the arms are aligned north west/south east.
The visible height of the cross is 0.6m. The width across the arms is 0.8m. The north west arm is broken off and cracked, but its top surface is flat and joins the head of the cross with a neat right angle. From the head it extends about 0.2m. Below the arms it extends 0.12m from the main shaft of the cross. The depth of this arm is 0.2m. The south east arm looks unfinished. It extends 0.17m from the head of the cross, and has a depth of 0.34m. The underside of the arm is flush with the ground. Against the arms, on the south west face, the head of the cross is 0.44m wide. The head extends above the arms about 0.25m.
The thickness of the cross seems relatively slight, approximately 0.16m-0.2m. The whole appearance of the cross is crude and it may be that it is an unfinished specimen that went wrong in its manufacture.
On the opposite side of the road, at the west corner of the entrance to Lower Elsford is an upright block of coarse granite, roughly rectangular in shape. This has no particular distinguishing feature, but could have been part of a cross shaft. This does not form part of the scheduling.
Lower Elsford cross consists only of the head and arms of what was once, or what was intended to be, a massive medieval wayside cross. It is an indicator of the size of crosses that once existed in this area.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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