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Summary

Possibly Medieval direction stone at Sign of the Owl Cross

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX65NE/146

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ROUTE MARKER NON SPECIFIC (Unknown date)

Full description

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

'Stone Guide Post' shown at 'Sign of the Owl Cross' on 19th century map on the north side of the road junction.

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

'Stone' and 'G.P' shown on early 20th century map in a triangular feature at the 'Sign of the Owl Cross' road junction.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1943, Notes on Some Old Roadside Stones in South West Devon, 147 (Article in Serial). SDV148816.

Sandowl Cross, direction stone. Stands 0.6 metres high in a grass triangle at the road junction on the South Brent to Bittaford road about 2 kilometres south of the steep lane above Zeaston. The stone has four sides with a raised letter on each: B on the north side for Brent; T on the east side for Totnes; K on the south side for Kinsbridge and M on the west side for Modburry. The relief parts of the letters are 40 - 50 millimetres wide and 200 millimetres long. It has been suggested that 'Sign of the Owl' derives from the Saxon word 'sandauld' meaning 'being long and round like a tree or pillar'. Locals still refer to the site by the name 'Sandowl'. The sign was re-erected in 1936, but was removed for the duration of World War II. It seems certain that there was a road running from the Erme Estuary northeast to the Avon valley; along the ridgeway north of Ugborough village and descending to the Glaze Brook a little over a mile from the Sign of the Owl road junction. This is where the road begins to descend, and a landmark may have been erected to guide travellers approaching up the hill from the river crossing at Glaze Brook. Other details: Plate 24 Figure 21.

Groves, R., 1970, Roads and Tracks, 193 (Article in Monograph). SDV175341.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1972, Untitled Source, 16 (Article in Serial). SDV160601.

Devon County Council, 1989 - 2010, Highway Management Database, 1808803 (Un-published). SDV347581.

Cotswold Archaeology, 2001, Fishacre to Lyneham Natural Gas Pipeline: Archaeological Fieldwalking and Field Reconnaissance Survey: Preliminary Summary, Map 7 (Report - Survey). SDV340217.

Cotswold Archaeology, 2001, Fishacre to Lyneham Natural Gas Pipeline: Cultural Heritage Assessment: Volume 1:Text, 22 (Report - Assessment). SDV340215.

Other details: Site 108.

Cotswold Archaeology, 2001, Fishacre to Lyneham Natural Gas Pipeline: Cultural Heritage Assessment: Volume 2: Constraints Maps (Report - Assessment). SDV340216.

Other details: Map 7 Site 108.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4375 - Fishacre to Lyneham Pipeline Assessment
• EDV4391 - Fishacre to Lyneham Fieldwalking Survey

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