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Summary

Remains of medieval cross. Granite. Broken cross-head (one arm missing) with hollow chamfered moulding.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019607: The North Gate and part of the precinct area of Buckfast Abbey
• Listed Building (II) 1209043: CROSS APPROXIMATELY 40 METRES WEST OF ST MARY'S ABBEY CHURCH

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX76NW19
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 444831
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX76NW/48
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 392226

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (Constructed, XIII to XIV - 1300 AD (Between) to 1399 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The upper portion of a 14th century cross.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1943, Supplementary Notes on the Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon. (Third Paper), 262 (Article in Serial). SDV320746.

The cross set up in the circular green in front of the abbey church came from Moor Shop, Sampford Spiney. The upper portion of a cross of octagonal section hollow chamfered with one arm broken away. The other arm and the head are intact and are straight, as is the shaft.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1951, SX76NW19 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV294279.

Medieval stone cross not in situ.
Masson Phillip's description is correct except the cross has been moved and now set up by a path. Its place on the green taken by the cross moved from Great Palstone.
(13/07/1951) At SX 74066740. It has an octagonal section with a hollow chamfer and one arm is broken away. The shaft and head are straight. The cross previously stood at SX 74086741 (SX 76 NW 17) (Masson Phillips, 1954) and prior to that was at Moorshop (SX 5174) (Masson Phillips 1937, 1943).

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1954, Supplementary Notes on the Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon (Fourth Paper), 186, (Article in Serial). SDV15725.

Department of Environment, 1983, Buckfastleigh, 3 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV337043.

Remains of medieval granite cross head, one arm missing, and set in concrete base 40 metres west-north-west of Abbey Church.

Department of Environment, 1985, Images of listed buildings in Buckfastleigh, 15/07/1985 (Photograph). SDV359974.

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 66 (Un-published). SDV360833.

Buckfast Abbey (Moorshp). Moorshop Cross stands in the grounds of Buckfast Abbey. An upper portion of a cross of octagonal section (hollow chamfer) with one arm broken away. The existing arm and head are intact and are straight, as is the shaft. At the point where the missing arm has been broken off are two round holes which appear to indicate an attempt to repair the cross by dowelling. The cross was found in 1937, having been buried under the garden patch in front of the window of the ‘Old Smithy’ at Moorshop crossroads about two and a half miles east of Tavistock. At that time it was intended to erect the cross by the roadside nearby, the Second World War caught up with events and to safeguard the cross it was presented by the owner to the monks of Buckfast Abbey who have been its guardians ever since. The original site of the cross is unknown, but the ‘Old Smithy’, where it was found, stands on an ancient road connecting Okehampton with Plympton and Plymouth.
Cross height 0.78 metres, span 0.40 metres.

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

'Crosses' depicted on the modern mapping.

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

BUCKFASTLEIGH - SX7467 BUCKFAST ROAD, Buckfast 1011-1/5/26 Cross approximately 40 metres west 06/01/83 of St Mary's Abbey Church (Formerly Listed as: BUCKFAST ROAD, Buckfast Cross approx. 40m to WNW of St Mary's Abbey Church) - GV II
Remains of medieval cross. Granite. Broken cross-head (one arm missing) with hollow chamfered moulding.
Listing NGR: SX7406667421

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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