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Summary

Wayside cross known as Crazy Well or Classiwell Cross, situated 120 metres north of a long established track running between Buckfast and Tavistock abbeys. Cross survives as the head of an expanded Latin cross mounted on a modern shaft set up in 1952 within a socket fabricated from moorstones and concrete. The medieval cross-head is 0.5 metres high by 0.6 metres wide and the modern shaft measures 0.8 metres high.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1008649: Wayside cross 130m ESE of Crazy Well Pool
• 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: SX57SE24
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440094
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/124
• Old SAM Ref: 22391

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WAYSIDE CROSS (Early Medieval to Mid 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1952 AD (Between))

Full description

Crossing, W., 1902, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Dartmoor, 87 (Monograph). SDV178385.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 315 (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

Cross, on the moor, a short distance east of Classenwell Pool is the upper portion (head and arms) of a cross of rough rectangular section, set up on a slender modern shaft, in the ancient roughly square socket-stone.
Height 0.6 metres, width across arms 0.6 metres.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950, SX57SE24 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV252691.

In 1952 the cross was damaged resulting in the head which had been broken off being replaced with a new dowel and the based being made secure.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1954, Supplementary Notes on the Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon (Fourth Paper), 191 pl.19b (Article in Serial). SDV15725.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX57SE24 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV269529.

(12/08/1977) The Medieval cross head is 0.6m wide and now 0.5m high, set upon a modern pillar 0.8m high. The socket stone seems to have been fabricated from moorstones and concrete.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

Starkey, F. H., 1983, Dartmoor Crosses and Some Ancient Tracks, 42-3 (Monograph). SDV345128.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 136-7 (Monograph). SDV249702.

'Crazywell Cross' aka 'Classenwell', 'Classiwell' or 'Clazywell'. Original base has disappeared together with evidence of its true position. Only head and arms original and were discovered lower on the hillside. During restoration the remains were raised on a short modern shaft cemented into the ground.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 133153, 11/5/1993 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Wayside cross 120 metres north of a long established track leading between Buckfast and Tavistock Abbeys. Survives as the head of an expanded latin cross mounted on a modern shaft set up in 1952 within a socket fabricated from moorstones and concrete. The medieval cross head is 0.5 metres high by 0.6 metres wide and the modern shaft measures 0.8 metres high. During the latter part of the 19th century the cross was situated near the edge of Crazy Well Pool, and was presumably moved the short distance to its present location when it was re-erected in 1952.

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

Cramber Tor Survey 2002, Site WA117.

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

(01/08/2006) A granite cross known as Crazy Well or Classiwell Cross. The head and shaft of the cross have been made separately and cemented together, one probably predates the other, and the cross has been mounted on a granite boulder. The hieght is 1.4 metres and the distance across the arms is 0.6 metres.

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

'Cross (restored)' is depicted on the modern mapping.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

The monument includes a wayside cross situated 120m north of a long established track running between Buckfast and Tavistock abbeys, and lies on a gentle south facing slope overlooking Newleycombe Lake. The monument survives as the head of an expanded Latin cross mounted on a modern shaft set up in 1952 within a socket fabricated from moorstones and concrete. The medieval cross-head is 0.5m high by 0.6m wide and the modern shaft measures 0.8m high.
Despite damage to the wayside cross 130m ESE of Crazy Well Pool, the head and arms and the upper part of the shaft are all original. This cross is situated close to its original position at Crazy Well Pool and is visited extensively by educational parties.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WLK-117 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 03/01/2020. The cross is surrounded by close cropped turf with muddy erosion patches on N and W sides. Overall condition good. Photo taken.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, WLK-117 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photo looking 090° of W side of the cross showing the socket stone surrounded by close cropped turf with muddy erosion patches on N and W sides.

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
• EDV8711 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area

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