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Summary

Medieval cross pedestal to the south of St John the Baptist's parish church in Bishops Tawton

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1164090: CROSS BASE IN CHURCHYARD APPROXIMATELY 15 METRES SOUTH OF CHANCEL TO PARISH CHURCH OF ST JOHN BAPTIST

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS53SE/24/2
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 98501

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (XIII to XV - 1300 AD to 1500 AD (Between))

Full description

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Cross in the Churchyard at Bishop's Tawton (Schedule Document). SDV345573.

Other details: Monument Number 27307.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Stone Cross (rems of)' shown on 19th century map.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Cross' shown on early 20th century map.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1938, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part II, 307-8 (Article in Serial). SDV6308.

Cross in the churchyard, south of the church. Type B or C. An octagonal pedestal, built up, with a tree growing in the centre, and a socket-stone, square at the base with corner shoulders and octagonal above, resting on the pedestal in front of the tree. Of a local grit. A fragment of the rectangular base of the shaft (the same sort of stone) remains in the socket hole, leaded into place, the cross evidently having been broken off flush with the top of the socket stone.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953 - 1954, SS53SE4 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV345135.

Grass covered pedestal of drystone walling is almost a circle, the corners of the octagon being vague.

Layley, C. G., 1985, A History of the Parishes of Bishops Tawton and Newport, Barnstaple, 17 (Monograph). SDV345136.

Situated in the churchyard is a large stone which possibly once had a socket which has since been filled, and that suggests that it may have been part of a memorial stone or a preaching cross.

Department of Environment, 1986, Bishop's Tawton, 17 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV80521.

Gerrard, H., 1994, 139507 (Un-published). SDV345137.

Churchyard cross socket stone 6 metres from the north end of the church. Cross includes a socket stone with an infilled socket hole built into the north side of a circular walled platform. The socket stone has a square base of 0.8 metres, is 0.7 metres high and is cut at the top to form an octagon which has a diameter of 0.7 metres. The socket hole is lined with lead and is infilled with what may be a broken fragment of shaft. The socket is 0.33 metres square. The socket stone is mounted on the north side of a circular platform constructed from drystone walling and measuring 3.3 metres in diameter and 0.25 metres high. The socket stone is of a type common to Devon and dates from about the 14th-15th century.

1994, Untitled Source (Photograph). SDV345138.

Other details: Taken by H Gerrard.

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 32, (Vol 1) sketch (Un-published). SDV360833.

Bishops Tawton SS565301
Cross in the churchyard, south of the church. An octagonal pedestal, slightly raised, and a socket-stone, square at the base with corner shoulders and octagonal above, resting on the pedestal. Not granite; appears to be constructed from a local grit. A fragment of the rectangular base of the shaft (the same sort of stone) remains in the socket hole, leaded into place, the cross evidently having been broken off flush with the top of the socket stone.
Cross measurements: Socket stone 0.83 by 0.83 metres, by 0.5 metres high. Socket hole 0.3 by 0.3 metres, pedestal 3.35 metres across (octagonal).

English Heritage, 2010, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV154869.

Cross base in churchyard approximately 15 metres south of the chancel of the parish church of St John Baptist in Bishops Tawton was Listed on 18 th March 1986. Medieavl cross-base of dressed stone. A rectangular base with moulded corners with the socket hole for the shaft infilled. Other details: LBS Number 98501.

Richards, A., 2010, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV345139.

This monument was recommended for Scheduling as an Ancient Monument but did not meet the criteria.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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