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Summary

Large carved granite stone, probably the base of a Medieval cross. Lower part is of rough, uncut stone, but the upper part is square with chamfered edges having worn stops at the foot. The top of the stone has its corners cut back and splayed to form an octagon, the bases of the splays, above the chamfered edges, being rounded to form convex stops. The face of the stone towards the road is incised with a shield bearing what appears to be a worn armorial device. The face towards the garden has 2 worn letters incised on it, probably T C.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1097368: BISHOP'S STONE SET IN THE GARDEN WALL OF CASELEY BUNGALOW, ABOUT 15 METRES SOUTH-EAST OF THE ROAD TO CASELEY

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX78SE8
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 445599
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX78SE/24
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 84638

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (Constructed, Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))
• INSCRIBED STONE (Constructed, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Ormerod, G. W., 1873-1874, Wayside Crosses in the District bordering the east of Dartmoor, 395 (Article in Serial). SDV346648.

Davidson, J. B., 1876, Some Anglo-Saxon Boundaries, Now Deposited at the Albert Museum, Exeter, 402 (Article in Serial). SDV279615.

Crossing, W., 1892, Old Stone Crosses of the Dartmoor Border, 135-7 (Monograph). SDV279564.

The arms upon it are supposed to be those of Bishop Grandisson (f1 1330).

Chanter, J. F., 1910, Christianity in Devon before AD 909, 482 (Article in Serial). SDV870.

Stephens, W. J., 1914-1915, The Bishop's Stone, Lustleigh, 58 (Article in Serial). SDV280231.

The Bishop's Stone. By the roadside, against the hedge, at a road junction a short distance north of Lustleigh Church. It resembles the socket-stone of a cross, but there is no socket cut in it. Square at the base, higher up the corners are chamfered and cut away forming the top in an octagonal. One side bears a carved coat of arms, apparently those of Bishop William Cotton of Exeter (1598-1621), impaled with "the shield of the spiritual sword which is sometimes used to denote a Bishop." (Thought to be Stephens; unattributed source).
The coat of arms referred to.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 326 (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

The Bishop's Stone: A block of carved stone with the appearance of a socket stone of a cross, but with no socket cut in it. The base is square; the top has chamfered corners and is octagonal.
"One side bears a carved coat of arms, apparently those of Bishop William Cotton (1598-1621) of Exeter".

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SX78SE8 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV280232.

Probably a Christian Celtic cross.
This large block of granite has been built into a modern wall above ground level and has not improbably been the pedestal of a cross. It is 2 feet in height, lower part square with chamfering above; it posesses no socket. Some faint carving is supposed to represent Bishop Grandison's (circa 1330) arms, who according to tradition once ?dined upon it. But the better explanation is that it is probably the on etime episcopical boundary stone (citing Davison 1876, Crossing 1892 and Chanter, 1910).
The block has been supposed to be the base of a cross (citing Ormerod, 1874).
This definitely is the pedestal for a cross; whether it was ever in use as a boundary stone for some parish is incidental. It is held up in a modern railing and wall because it could never stand unaided, because its lower half, which is roughly cut in a wedge shape, was intended to be underground, with the carved upper half protruding from the ground level and visible. It is a massive cross base of stone the carved portion being 0.6 metres from top to bottom, with the rough portion continuing doewn for a further 0.9 metres. The top of this pedestal is smooth and perfectly flat, and octagonal in shape. 0.25 metres below the top chamfering of the ? reduces the pedestal into a square block. On the south-western face the raised shield is in evidence still, but the arms thereon are indistinct. This pedestal is 1.1 metres square at its intended ground level (08/05/1953).

Ordnance Survey, 1963-1996, 1963-1996 National Grid OS Metric (Cartographic). SDV350058.

SX 78598152 'Bishop's Stone (NR) (remains of)' (NAT).

Department of Environment, 1986, Lustleigh, 138 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV304543.

Large carved stone, probably the base of a cross. Probably medieval. Granite. Lower part is of rough, uncut stone, but the upper part is square with chamfered edges having worn stops at the foot. The top of the stone has its corners cut back and splayed to form an octagon, the bases of the splays, above the chamfered edges, being rounded to form convex stops. The face of the stone towards the road is incised with a shield bearing what appears to be a worn armorial device. The face towards the garden has two worn letters incised on it, probably T C.

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 30 (Un-published). SDV360833.

The Bishop’s Stone stands on a wall beside the road into Lustleigh from the Bovey Tracey to Moretonhampstead road. The Bishop’s Stone is a large block of granite, the upper part carefully dressed, but the lower part part left rough. It is octagonal above and square below. The upper surface is quite flat, no socket has been cut in it, but it could be that the stone formed the platform on which an encient socket stone stood. There are vague traces of a coat of arms incised on the face said to relate to Bishop Gradisson (a 14th century bishop of Exeter, who was supposed to have eaten a meal off this stone) or Bishop Cotton of Exeter (1598-1612). On another face of the stone are the letters ‘HC’, it has been suggested that this relates to Thomas Comyn who was instituted to the living of Lustleigh parish by Bishop Cotton in 1607. It is probable that this stone once marked an ancient boundary of episcopal possessions, originally being called the ‘Writelan Stone’.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

9/197 Bishop's Stone set in the garden - wall of Caseley Bungalow, about 15 metres south-east of the road to Caseley GV II
Large carved stone, probably the base of a cross. Probably medieval. Granite. Lower part is of rough, uncut stone, but the upper part is square with chamfered edges having worn stops at the foot. The top of the stone has its corners cut back and splayed to form an octagon, the bases of the splays, above the chamfered edges, being rounded to form convex stops. The face of the stone towards the road is incised with a shield bearing what appears to be a worn armorial device. The face towards the garden has 2 worn letters incised on it, probably T C.
Listing NGR: SX7860281532

Ordnance Survey, 2021, MasterMap 2021 (Cartographic). SDV364015.

'Bishop's Stone (Remains of)' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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