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Summary

A wayside Medieval Latin cross known as Horns Cross situated on Holne Moor overlooking the Dart river valley. The socket stone and the head and arms are original, the crude shaft was added sometime after 1800. The shaft bears traces of tare and feather working. Horns Cross is one of a number of markers denoting the Medieval track across the moor between Tavistock and Buckfast Abbey.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019221: Horn's Cross

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SE39
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 442968
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SE/42
• Old SAM Ref: 28741

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WAYSIDE CROSS (Constructed, Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD (Between) to 1899 AD (Between))

Full description

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 339-40 (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

Remains of a Latin cross, known as Horn's Cross, mounted on a rough modern shaft set in the original square socket stone. One of the arms is broken off.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1977, SX67SE39 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV140425.

(1950) Masson Phillip's 1937 description is correct. The length of the shaft is 1.9 metres, the width of the arms is 0.6 metres. The whole is set in a large socket stone 0.8 by 0.8 metres. The ancient head piece is joined to the modern shaft by two iron clamps.
(14/07/1977) Horn's Cross (name confirmed) stands 2.15m high, on small level north-south ridge at 380m above OD. It consists of a Medieval socket stone, 0.90m by 0.83m and 0.25m above ground, and head, 0.4m high and 0.55m wide overall, joined by a modern, roughly worked shaft 1.50m high. See photograph.
The cross is correctly positioned at 1:10 000.

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

Not visible on 1946 Royal Air Force aerial photographs.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP152143 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

(02/07/1999) Horn's Cross at SX66997103. Socket stone measures 0.82 metres by 0.89 metres, protrudes 0.33 metres above the ground and is orientated north-east to south-west. The modern shaft is 1.63 metres high and measures 0.35 metres by 0.30 metres at the base tapering to 0.23 metres by 0.34 metres at the top. There are three tare and feather marks on the eastern corner of the shaft, two drill marks on the north face and on the south face is the remnants of an iron rod and associated feather. Head held on by metal bars on the east and west faces. The arms of the cross measure 0.57 metres wide by 0.23 metres high and 0.2 metres thick. The head is 0.22 metres high and 0.20 metres wide. Severe erosion around three sides except the west. Grass around. Tracks approach.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1996, Holne Moor Survey, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV154079.

(28/02/1996) SX 66997103. This feature is as described in 1977.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

'Horn's Cross (restored)' depicted on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2011, National Heritage List for England, 1019221 (National Heritage List for England). SDV347072.

The monument includes a wayside cross known as Horn's Cross situated on a gentle north facing slope of Holne Moor overlooking the valley of the River Dart. The cross includes a socket stone, a crude modern shaft and an original head and arms.
The socket stone measures 0.82 metres by 0.89 metres, protrudes 0.33 metres above the ground and is orientated north-east to south-west. The modern shaft is 1.63 metres high and measures 0.35 metres by 0.3 metres at the base and 0.23 metres by 0.34 metres at the top. The shaft bears traces of tare and feather working indicating that it was produced sometime after 1800. The arms of the cross measure 0.57 metres wide by 0.23 metres high and 0.2 metres thick. The head is 0.22 metres high by 0.2 metres wide (Description 2001). Other details: SAM UID: 28741.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7100 - Holne Moor Survey

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