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Summary

Longstone Cross, also known as Challabrook Cross. A medieval wayside cross of rectangular section; one arm very short, other arm missing. Traces of incised cross on each face. Has been used as a gatepost: eastern face has been slotted and gate hangers still affixed. Brass plate with fanciful inscription fixed to southern face. Mutilated cross shaft with part of cross head intact. Righthand side cut back to form a gatepost (2 iron hinges still in position). Rectangular in section, tapering slightly on the unaltered left side. Said to be traces of a cross incised on each face. Metal plaque attached to shaft carries inscription.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1165056: CHALLABROOK CROSS, ON PUBLIC FOOTPATH ABOUT 350 METRES NORTH-EAST OF CHALLABROOK CROSS

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX87NW/13
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV289020.

Osa=sx87nw13.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV289021.

Masson phillips, e. N. /tda/69(1937)323/the ancient stone crosses of devon, part 1.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV289022.

Doe/hhr:bovey tracey/(3/7/1986)4.

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV326554.

Medieval wayside cross. Vis=13/10/1953(os) of rectangular section; one arm very short, other arm missing. Traces of incised cross on each face. Has been used as a gatepost: eastern face has been slotted and gate hangers still affixed. Brass plate with fanciful inscription fixed to southern face. Type a (os). Vis=cross shaft. Re-set medieval. Granite. Mutilated cross shaft with part of cross head intact. Righthand side cut back to form a gatepost (2 iron hinges still in position). Rectangular in section, tapering slightly on the unaltered left side. Said to be traces of a cross incised on each face. Metal plaque attached to shaft carries inscription (doe).

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 91, (Vol 1), sketch (Un-published). SDV360833.

Challabrook Farm SX809778
A cross stands on Bovey Heath, near Challabrook Farm, 0.8 kilometres south-west of Bovey Tracey. A rough cross of rectangular section, much weathered, with one arm very short; the other is missing. Has been used as a gatepost. It bares a brass plate with the following inscription 'This old cross once marked the grave of a Royalist officer who fell near here in 1645 when Cromwell's troops defeated the Royalists, AJW 1923'. There are traces of what appears to be an incised cross on each face between the arms. It is also known as 'Cavalier's Cross'. The brass plate was missing in 1985.
Cross height 0.75 metres, span 0.45 metres.

Green, C., 2022, Longston Cross, Challabrook, Bovey Tracey, Devon: Monitoring and Recording (Report - Watching Brief). SDV364895.

Context One Heritage & Archaeology carried out archaeological monitoring and recording as a condition of Listed Building Consent for the relocation of Longston Cross, a Grade II Listed medieval cross encompassed within a new development on land to the west of Monks Way, Challabrook, Bovey Tracey. Examination of the void left by the cross did not encounter any objects associated with the 1923 re-siting, and the backfilled soil matched that of the adjacent ground.

Lifting of the cross revealed a tapered base suggesting that the buried end was always the base, and that the sides formerly facing north-west and south-east were the primary faces while those formerly orientated towards the south-west and north-east were the sides. The small square socket is on the same side as the two rusty hangers and cut-back area previously recorded on the right-hand side, probably for hanging a gate; the left hand side and head showed much weathering (GJR Conservation 2020, 7). No evidence of the incised crosses supposedly carved on the south-east face were evident, however the part of the cross exposed during the re-location was probably always below ground. The
cross has been re-sited circa 50 metres to the south-west, on a public space adjacent to the diverted Public Right of Way. An interpretation panel is being installed to provide a summary history.

Polygon and Listed Building polygon moved to new location as shown in report.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8803 - Monitoring and Recording: Longston Cross, Challabrook, Bovey Tracey (Ref: C1/AMR/20/CBD)

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