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Summary

Medieval churchyard cross south of St Mary's parish church in Down St Mary

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014648: Churchyard cross 20m south east of Down St Mary church
• Listed Building (II) 1242595: CROSS APPROXIMATELY 12 METRES SOUTH OF CHANCEL OF CHURCH OF ST HARY

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 34866
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS70SW/1
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 441995
• Old SAM Ref: 27320
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS70SW1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (XIII to XV - 1300 AD to 1500 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Stone Cross (Remains of)' shown on 19th century map.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Cross' shown on early 20th century map to the south of the church.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1938, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part II, 320 (Article in Serial). SDV6308.

Churchyard cross. Type B. An ancient socket-stone, square at the base with corner shoulders and octagonal above with a chamfered top edge, bears a fragment of ancient shaft. The fragment is square at the base with rounded stops and octagonal above, tapering upwards, on which a tall modern shaft has been fixed, octagonal in shape, also tapering upwards, with a sculptured capital surmounted by a modern 'Maltese' type of head. A highly unsuitable restoration.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1952 - 1970, SS70SW4 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV345925.

Remains of two stone crosses in the churchyard at Down St Mary.
Cross B: at SS74300444 is a stone cross of the 14/15th century consisting of a socket stone and the lower third of the shaft with the remainder being modern. Other details: Cross B.

Gerrard, H., 1994, 139520 (Un-published). SDV345924.

Churchyard cross 20 metres south-east of the church. One of a pair of crosses found in this churchyard. Survives as an ancient socket stone with a fragment of shaft onto which a tall modern shaft and Maltese style head have been added.

Department of Environment, 1996, Churchyard Cross 20 metres east of Down St Mary Church (Schedule Document). SDV345926.

Churchyard cross 20 metres east of Down St Mary church. It is one of a pair of crosses found in this churchyard. The monument survives as an ancient socket stone with a fragment of shaft onto which a tall modern shaft and Maltese style head have been added. The socket stone measures 0.88 metres square by 0.4 metres high, has corner shoulders, a chamfered top edge and is octagonal above, the length of each side of the octagon being 0.4 metres. The socket stone contains a fragment of ancient shaft, which is 0.3 metres square. The shaft has rounded stops and becomes octagonal above; the length of each side of the octagon is 0.13 metres. The shaft is 0.66 metres high, tapers upwards and is 0.28 metres wide at the top. Above this, the cross has been restored with the addition of a tall tapering shaft upon which is a modern Maltese style head embossed with decoration. The overall height of this restoration is some 3.5 metres. Despite restoration the cross survives in what is thought likely to be its original position. Other details: Monument 27320.

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 148, (Vol 2), sketch (Un-published). SDV360833.

Down St Mary Churchyard SS743044
A cross stands in the churchyard, south-east of the church. It consists of an ancient socket-stone, square at the base with corner shoulders and octagonal above with a chamfered top edge. It bears a fragment of ancient shaft, square at the base with rounded stops and octagonal above, tapering upwards, on which a tall modern shaft has been fixed, octagonal in shape, also tapering upwards, with a sculptured capital surmounted by a modern 'Maltese' type of head.
Cross height 3.76 metres, span 0.66 metres. Base 0.35 by 0.35 metres. Socket stone 0.86 by 0.86 metres by 0.40 metres high.

National Monuments Record, 2010, 34866 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV345927.

Remains of two 14th-15th century stone crosses in the churchyard.
Cross 'B' at SS74300444 is the remains of a 14-15th century stone cross in the churchyard consisting of a socket stone and a fragment of ancient shaft with a modern head affixed. The original parts of this cross are the socket stone and the lower third of the shaft, the remainder being modern. Other details: Cross B.

English Heritage, 2010, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV154869.

Cross approximately 12 metres south of the chancel of the Church of St Mary in Down St Mary was Listed on 20th November 1986. Churchyard cross. Socket stone and base of shaft are probably 15th century, most of shaft and head restored probably circa 1880. Plain original socket stone is square at the base and octagonal on tie top with broad shoulders. The bottom 0.8 metres or so is original. It is square at bottom and has chamfered edges with roll stops. The cross is now approximately 3.5 metres high. The 19th century work continues the original to produce a tall, slightly tapering shaft with chamfered edges and a moulded cap with beads around. It is surmounted by an alisee patee cross enriched with sunken rosettes. Other details: LBS Number 441995.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

'Crosses' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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