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Summary

A granite cross thought to date from the late medieval period; there is a documentary reference to it of 1573. The name may derive from the surname Littlejohn which was associated with a local landowning family in the 15th century. The cross, which has been repaired, originally stood by the roadside but now stands within a garden.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1273779: LITTLE JOHN CROSS
• Scheduled Monument 1002495: Little John's Cross

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX99SW/16
• Old SAM County Ref: 327
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX99SW/58

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (XV to XVI - 1401 AD (Between) to 1573 AD (Between))

Full description

Cresswell, B. F., 1915, Churchyard and Wayside Crosses in the Neighbourhood of Exeter, 189 (Article in Serial). SDV336961.

Now placed inside a garden wall for safety. Has been repaired. It stands on the old base but the top is new. Height 6ft 2ins, width across the arms 2ft 2ins.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1938, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part II, 323 (Article in Serial). SDV6308.

Originally against the hedge by the roadside, now within a garden wall. The shaft is fractured just below the arms and the head, above the arms is a restoration. There is a documentary reference in 1573 to 'Lyttell Johnes Crosse'.

Tyler, F. C., 1938-1939, Little John's Cross, 137-138 (Article in Serial). SDV24135.

The present cross probably succeeded an earlier version

Stone, H., 1938-1939, Little John's Cross, 39 (Article in Serial). SDV24133.

The cross, once open to the road, now stands just inside a garden wall. It resembles Alphington cross though it is slightly inferior to it.

R. B. M., 1938-1939, Little John's Cross, 88-89 (Article in Serial). SDV24134.

The name may derive from the surname Littlejohn which was associated with a local landowning family in the 15th century.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SX99SW/58 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV24131.

The cross is inside a garden wall at a crossroads a mile to the south-west of Exe Bridge. It has been broken in three pieces and repaired.
Site visit 6th July 1953. The information given in the articles quoted is correct (see card for further details). The cross is in good condition. The head and shaft are chamfered to within 0.6m of the base where it becomes rectangular to fit into the rectangular hole into the socket stone. This is also chamfered around the top corners. No information on when it was moved into the garden could be ascertained. The road is called Little John's Cross Hill, which confirms its name.

Weddell, P. J., 1991, An Archaeological Assessment of SWW Pynes to Dunsford Hill (Exeter) Water Main, 4 (Report - Assessment). SDV340493.

Exeter Archaeology, 1996, Archaeological Assessment of SWW Exeter to Tottiford Transfer: Phase 1, 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV283759.

The proximity of the medieval cross (just within the boundary wall of a house on the corner of DunsfordHhill and Little John's Cross Hill) to the route of the pipeline was noted but it is not envisaged that the site will be directly affected.

Collings, A. G., 2005, Archaeological Assessment of the Crossmead Conference Centre, Barley Lane, Exeter, No. 9 (Report - Assessment). SDV355074.

This granite cross now stands within a garden wall. It is believed to date from the late medieval period. Modern repairs from two breakages are visible.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

Cross marked.

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1002495 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

Wayside Cross called Little John's Cross. Wayside crosses are one of several types of Christian cross erected during the medieval period, mostly from the 9th to 15th centuries AD. In addition to serving the function of reiterating and reinforcing the Christian faith amongst those who passed the cross and of reassuring the traveller, wayside crosses often fulfilled a role as way markers.
Situated in a garden close to a junction cross roads on the Exeter to Moretonhampstead road. The cross survives as a 15th century socket stone, shaft, arms and has a later head. The socket stone is square below but octagonal at the top. It supports a slightly tapering cross shaft of rectangular section at the base which has been chamfered above to form an octagon. The arms are straight and the head above the arms is a restoration. The cross is approximately 1.9m high. The name ‘Lyttelljohnes cross’ appears in a documentary reference dated 1537 and Littlejohn is the surname of an important local landowning family in the 15th century.
See listing description for full details.
Date first scheduled: 25th July 1955

Historic England, 2023, National Heritage List for England, 1273779 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365228.

Little John Cross. At the junction of Dunsford Road and Little John Cross Hill. Ancient granite cross with short arms and slightly tapered shaft.
Date first listed: 29th January 1953

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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