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Summary

Also known as Ringhill Copse Cross. Wayside cross situated on the northern side of a minor road to South Tawton and immediately to the south of the main A30 trunk road. Simple Latin cross carved from a single piece of granite. On the north and south sides of the cross are oval notches for gate hangings. The east and west faces of the cross both bear an incised cross decoration which measures 0.26m high by 0.23m wide. The cross was moved to its present location following major improvements to the A30 in November 1988.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020271: Wayside cross 225m north east of Scarhill Cross
• Listed Building (II) 1306043: RINGHILL CROSS

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX69SE4
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 444049
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX69SE/35
• Old Listed Building Ref: 94964
• Old SAM County Ref: 770
• Old SAM Ref: 34289

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (Constructed, XII to Late 20th Century - 1200 AD (Between) to 1988 AD (Between))

Full description

Lega-Weekes, E., 1906, The Churchwardens' Accounts of South Tawton, 505-6 (Article in Serial). SDV270355.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 336 Illustration (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

Stone Cross, Ringhill. A tall cross of rectangular section with a wide shaft and small short arms. On each face between the arms there is an incised equal-armed cross. Possibly 13th century.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1951-1994, SX69SE4 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV271023.

(09/11/1951) A tall cross of rectangular section with a wide shaft and small short arms. On each face between the arms there is an incised squat armed cross. Height 2.5 metres.
(15/07/1974) A wayside cross in good condition, but now leaning to the north. Total height 2.0m shaft section 0.4m by 0.2m; width across arms 0.55m. No base visible. Published 1/2500 survey correct.
(December 1994) Now at SX 67159417.

King, A. C., 1979, Survey: A30 Whiddon Down to Tongue End, No.17 worksheet (Report - Survey). SDV271161.

Unknown, 1985, Image of Ringhill Cross (slide) (Photograph). SDV271028.

Department of Environment, 1988, Letter (Correspondence). SDV271031.

Scheduled Monument Consent granted for relocation of monument close to original position and orientation.

Griffiths, D. M., 1988, Ringhill Cross, 10/11/1988 (Worksheet). SDV271018.

Ringhill Cross. Removed from original site (SX67199417) in 1987 to make way for the Whiddon Down to Stockley Hamlets duel-carriage way. Re-located at SX67199414. Re-location by Dartmoor National Park at above grid reference in November 1988 at the request of the Parish Council (and turned through 90 degrees to face east-west as at original location).

Department of Environment, 1988, South Tawton, 117 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV336452.

Ancient Monuments, 2001, Stone cross at Ringhill Cross, South Tawton (Schedule Document). SDV271022.

Wayside cross 225 metres north-east of Scarhill Cross.
On the north side of the road. A simple Latin cross carved from a single piece of granite. Shaft is rectangular in section, 0.35 metres long, 0.16 metres wide, 1.9 metres high. At 1.4 metres from base the arms extend out and measure 0.53 metres wide. At a height of 0.85 metres from base, on the north and south sides, are oval notches for gate hangings. Eastern and western faces bear incised cross decoration which measures 0.25 metres high, 0.23 metres wide. Cross was moved to its pavement location following A30 improvements in 1988.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015 onwards, 2015 onward Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV362959.

Cross visible.

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

'Cross' is depicted on the modern mapping.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England, Accessed 13/07/2016 (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

SX 67219415. The cross was moved to its present location in 1988. Simple Latin cross carved from a single piece of granite. The cross shaft is rectangular in section, measures 0.35m long by 0.16m wide and is 1.9m high. At 1.4m from the base the arms extend outwards and measure 0.53m wide. At a height of 0.85m from the base, on the north and south sides of the cross, are oval notches for gate hangings. The east and west faces of the cross both bear an incised cross decoration which measures 0.26m high by 0.23m wide. The cross was moved to its present location following major improvements to the A30 in November 1988. The cross is Listed Grade II.
The wayside cross 225m north east of Scarhill Cross survives comparatively well, despite having been moved slightly from its original location. Its incised decoration contributes to its archaeological significance. It is one of a small number of crosses which survive in this area.

Google, 2022, Google Streetview, Accessed 13/05/2022 (Website). SDV364676.

Images from January 2009 / December 2021 show the cross at present location (north of the road).

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

Marked incorrectly to the south of the road on mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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