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Summary

Wayside cross formed from a single piece of coarse-grained granite, set on a turf mound at a junction of minor roads at the western edge of Huckworthy Common. The mound, which is 0.7m above the road surface, forms the southern apex of a grassy triangle. The shaft of the cross is square in section measuring 0.33m across, and has a slight lean to the east. The cross has a stumpy head and arms, and although both arms and the head have been damaged, the general stumpiness is likely to be an original feature.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1105758: CROSS AT SX 530 712
• Scheduled Monument 1008928: Huckworthy Cross: a wayside cross 1.4km SSW of Sampford Spiney village

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57SW12
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440436
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SW/18
• Old Listed Building Ref: 93990
• Old SAM County Ref: 942
• Old SAM Ref: 24813

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WAYSIDE CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 314 (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

Stone cross, Huckworthy Common, a tall cross of rough rectangular section standing on a small mound of turf beside a signpost. The arms are small and there is an incised cross between them on one face. The cross is made from moorland granite and is in fairly good condition, it bears a bench mark. The arms are so rudimentary and roughly finished that they may have been broken many years ago.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX57SW12 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV220539.

A tall cross, type A, of rough rectangular section standing on a small mound of turf beside a signpost on Huckworthy Common. (Masson Philips, 1937)
(Visited 29/07/1950) Phillip's description is correct. The cross, made from moorland granite, is in fairly good condition, and bears a bench-mark. The arms are so rudimentary and roughly finished that they may have been broken off many years ago. Height 1.85m. Position correct as shown on the 6" field sheet.

Ancient Monuments, 1973, Cross on Huckworthy Common, 27/4/1973 (Schedule Document). SDV226288.

Arms of the cross badly damaged. Carries a bench mark at its base.

Starkey, F. H., 1983, Dartmoor Crosses and Some Ancient Tracks, 56 (Monograph). SDV345128.

Department of Environment, 1987, Sampford Spiney, 63 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV252739.

Cross, medieval. Tall granite monolith of latin shape with mutilated arms.

Ancient Monuments, 1993, The Schedule of Monuments (Schedule Document). SDV126938.

Formed from a single piece of coarse-grained granite, and set on a turf mound 0.7 metres above road surface. Shaft is square in section, 0.33 metres across, with a slight lean to east.
Stumpy head and arms. Although arms and head have been damaged, the stumpiness is likely to be original. Shaft firmly set into turf, with no visible sign of a socket stone. However, where the turf has been cut by traffic, some stones are visible in the exposed face approximately 0.4 metres below base of visible shaft. These may be part of a revetment.
Height 1.9 metres. Total width of arms (aligned north-south) 0.5 metres - north arm extends 0.12 metres from shaft, southern arm extends 0.09 metres. Max vertical depth of north arm is 0.22 metres, south arm 0.195 metres. Head extends 0.16 metres above arms. The top of the Ordnance Survey benchmark on south face of shaft is 0.42 metres above turf level. Possible marks on west face of shaft, close to north arm, and on north face of shaft, 0.82 metres above turf, may represent early engravings.

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

'Stone Cross' depicted on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England, Accessed 04/07/2016 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

Despite some damage in antiquity, Huckworthy Cross is an impressive medieval wayside cross, most likely in its original position at a junction of routes. A published photographic record of the cross exists from c.1900.
The monument includes a wayside cross formed from a single piece of coarse-grained granite, set on a turf mound at a junction of minor roads at the western edge of Huckworthy Common. The mound, which is 0.7m above the road surface, forms the southern apex of a grassy triangle. The shaft of the cross is square in section measuring 0.33m across, and has a slight lean to the east. The cross has a stumpy head and arms, and although both arms and the head have been damaged, the general stumpiness is likely to be an original feature. The shaft, which is firmly set, disappears into the turf, and there is no visible sign of a socket stone. However, where the turf mound has been cut by traffic rounding the cross, some stones are visible in the exposed vertical face approximately 0.4m below the base of the visible shaft. These may be part of a revetment. The arms of the cross are aligned due north-south. The total visible height of the cross is 1.9m. The total width of the arms is 0.5m, with the northern arm extending to a maximum of 0.12m from the shaft and the southern arm to a maximum of 0.09m. The maximum vertical depth of the northern arm is 0.22m and of the southern arm 0.195m. The head extends to a maximum of 0.16m above the arms. There is an Ordnance Survey bench mark cut on the southern face of the shaft. The top of the bench mark is 0.42m above turf level. There is a possible mark on the west face of the shaft, close to the northern arm, and another on the north face of the shaft, 0.82m above the turf. These may represent early engravings. Huckworthy Cross is Listed Grade II.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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