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Summary

Handsome granite cross fixed into a socket cut into a great boulder standing about five feet tall with a tapering shaft of rectangular section and slightly flattened arms. Inscribed with ‘S. L. H. 1887 - 1966’. It was set up as a memorial by Lieutenant Commander B. Hutchinson to his mother, Mrs S. L. Hutchinson in 1967 with the consent of the proper authorise. Starkey suggests that this cross may occupy the socket of an earlier cross, marking the route of the Monk’s Path.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork and structural remains of a section of the late 18th century Devonport Leat running from Raddick Hill to Nun's Cross, including extensive tinning remains at Cramber Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE83
• National Monuments Record: SX66NW61
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438738
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441736
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/175
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/200?
• Old SAM Ref: 24131

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WAYSIDE CROSS (Early Medieval to Late 20th Century - 1066 AD to 1967 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Cross, west of Siward’s Cross. On the line of the ancient track, between the cross on Walkhampton Common and Siward’s Cross, south of the Devonport Leat at a point where the leat is crossed by a footbridge, beyond the tunnel. Type A. The socket hole for a cross cut in a boulder. Other details: 315.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX56NE83 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV345130.

A cross socket 0.3 x 0.2 x 0.15 metres deep, cut in to the top of a large boulder. No trace of the ancient track referred to by Masson Phillips.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1979, Supplementary notes on the ancient stone crosses of Devon (Article in Serial). SDV240506.

The socket hole has now been utilised by a modern granite cross 1.5 metres high, bearing the initials 'SLH' on one side and '1887-1966' on the other. The new cross was erected in 1968. Other details: 143.

Starkey, F. H., 1979, Unknown Title, 104 (Article in Serial). SDV224051.

The ancient socket stone of a cross, which marked the line of the old monks' path (Abbot's Way Lin 121) between the abbeys of Buckfast and Buckland, is cut in a granite boulder at SX 600698. The ancient cross has been missing for years but in 1967 a modern memorial cross was erected in the old socket.

Starkey, F. H., 1983, Dartmoor Crosses and Some Ancient Tracks (Monograph). SDV345128.

Handsome granite cross fixed into a socket cut into a great boulder standing about five feet tall with a tapering shaft of rectangular section and slightly flattened arms. Inscribed with ‘S. L. H. 1887 - 1966’. It was set up as a memorial by Lieutenant Commander B. Hutchinson to his mother, Mrs S. L. Hutchinson in 1967 with the consent of the proper authorise. This cross occupies the socket of an earlier cross, marking the route of the Monk’s Path. Starkey suggests that the original cross that stood here may now stand on the Wheal Anne Bottom reave a mile away to the east. Other details: 40-41.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Not visible 1946 Royal Air Force vertical aerial photographs.

Starkey, F. H., 1987-1981, The area around Nun’s Cross Farm, 104 (Article in Serial). SDV345533.

Harrison, B., 2001, Dartmoor Stone Crosses (Monograph). SDV345133.

Leat Cross, or Devonport Leat Cross stands three and a half miles south-south-east of Two Bridges and five miles east-north-east of Yelverton at SX599699. Harrison refers to the socket hole in the boulder which the current cross now stands and the erection of this memorial cross in 1967 by the Lieutenant Commander Hutchinson in memorial of his mother. Cross is 1.7 metres high with a tapering shaft and slightly expanding arms and head, inscribed on one side with '1887 - 1966' and 'SLH' on the other. Other details: 79-80.

Wessex Archaeology, 2002, Cramber Tor Training Area Rapid Condition Survey, WA165, 226 (Report - Survey). SDV354588.

Cramber Tor Survey 2002, Site WA165. Cramber Tor Survey 2002, Site WA226.

Newman, P., 2006, Cramber Tor Training Area Archaeological Field Investigation (Report - Survey). SDV233640.

(01/08/2006) The cross is 1.4m high and the arms measure 0.6m across. Otherwise as descibed by Masson Phillips and Ordnance Survey (1937/1950).
NMR SX66NW61 / 441736 Is a duplicate site. See SX 56 NE 83

Newman, P., 2007, Cramber Tor Training Area Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV348210.

Modern stone cross mounted on earlier socket hole at SX59956991. No threat to site (01/08/2006).

Fletcher, M. J., 2007-2008, Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV359195.

Probert, S., 2008, Follow-Up Works to Cramber Tor Archaeological Baseline Condition Survey, Dartmoor Training Area (Report - Survey). SDV351304.

Greeves, T., 2012, Cramber Tor Training Area. Monument Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV350251.

Richards, A. F., 2015, Comment regarding scheduled status (Personal Comment). SDV237248.

This cross is recorded as having been covered by the Scheduling for SAM 24131 (NHLE 1009095), but this appears to have been a historic mistake: MDV3501 is the correct record for this Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

'Cross' is depicted on the modern mapping.

National Monument Record, 2016, Pastscape, Accessed 20/07/2016 (Website). SDV359354.

"The socket-hole for a cross cut in a boulder". On the line of the ancient track between the cross on Walkhampton Common and Siwards Cross. Socket hole 0.3 metres by 0.2 metres by 0.15 metres deep cut into top of a large natural boulder. The socket-hole has now been utilized by a modern granite cross 1.5 m high bearing the initials "SLH" on one side and "1887-1966" on the other (citing Masson Phillips, 1937 and Ordnance Survey 1950).
Revised at 1:10 000 on PFD (citing Ordnance Survey 1978).
It is suggested that the original cross shaft is the cross at SX 61336949 (SX 66 NW 7) and was removed to there to mark the boundary of tin-workings (citing Starkey, 1983).
Only the socket is original, and therefore not recommended for scheduling (citing English Heritage Alternative Action Report MPPA, undated).

Probert, S. A. J., 2017, A Condition Survey of the Archaeological Sites of the Cramber Tor Training Area, Devon, 2017 (Report - Survey). SDV360392.

Newman, P., 2021, Archaeological Sites within Cramber Tor Training Area, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: A condition survey on behalf of Defence Infrastructure Organisation February 2021 (Report - Survey). SDV364449.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7382 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project
• EDV6034 - Monument Condition Survey in Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6152 - Follow-up Works to Threatened Sites in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV6153 - Monument Baseline Condition Survey in the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8711 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area

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