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Summary

A massive wheel-headed stone cross, with a maltese cross on both faces, in an uncut granite socket stone.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 31847: CROSS 150M SOUTH WEST OF ROSPLETHA
• Listed Building (II) 69767: CROSS AT SW382223

Other References/Statuses

• OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SW32SE 30
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 28300
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW32SE 47

Monument Type(s):

• CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

Rospletha cross is described by Langdon as being on a pathway NE of St Levan churchyard, a massive and rudely executed cross standing in situ. Its height is 1.37m, width of head 0.6m, width of shaft at neck 0.34m, and at bottom 0.3m. The cross is of a uniform thickness of 0.28m, and the base is about 1.0m square. The crosses on both front and back are alike, having and slight inclination to the right (b1). It is marked on the OS map of 1909 (b2). The OS in 1960 visited the site and record that Langdon's description and illustration are correct. The cross is cemented into a crude socket stone of uncut granite, now broken but probably originally complete (h1,p1). The cross is shown on the OS map of 1963 (b3). Mercer in 1970, prior to the scheduling of the cross in 1972, records a wheel-headed cross with maltese cross on both faces with no central boss or decoration on the shaft (b4). Russell in 1971 lists the extant remains of a cross in base (b5). Sheppard in 1983 reports the cross as firmly fixed (b6).
The monument was included in the Schedule on 19/7/1972 and the scheduling was affirmed on 16/11/1998.

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Site history:
1: 1960. PITCHER, GH / OS
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<1> Langdon, AG, 1896, Old Cornish Crosses, 43-44 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3820.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 6 Inch Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4051.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1970s, 1:10,000 OS Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4045.

<4> Mercer, RJ (for DOE), 19--, Scheduled Monument Description (Bibliographic reference). SCO5178.

<5> Russell, V, 1971, West Penwith Survey, 86 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4314.

<6> Sheppard, PA (for DOE), 19--, Scheduled Monument Description (Bibliographic reference). SCO5181.

<7> Langdon, A, 1997, Stone Crosses in West Penwith, 37, NO 51 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3819.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Related records: none recorded

Associated Images

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