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Summary

Remains of Market Cross in Wolborough Street near St. Leonards Tower. It is reputed to be of medieval date but is probably 17th century. It bears an inscription referring to William Prince of Orange dated 1688

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1256726: BASE OF OLD MARKET CROSS APPROXIMATELY 8 METRES NORTH EAST OF ST LEONARDS TOWER

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX87SE/43
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 464618
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX87SE9

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (Early Medieval to XVII - 1066 AD to 1700 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SX87SE9 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV338346.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 328 (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

Remains of Newton Abbot Market Cross socket stone with later inscription dated 1688. Was built into lamp standard but now out of use, with socket hole covered by octagonal pyramid of granite. The whole base is octagonal.

Department of Environment, 1983, Newton Abbot, 33 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV298253.

Exeter Archaeology, 2001, Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Redevelopment at Wolborough Street, Newton Abbot (Report - Assessment). SDV310051.

The base of the old Market Cross, to the north-east of St Leonard's Tower, is probably of 17th-century date. It has a stepped octagonal granite base, 1m high, 2m across with a shallow pointed cap. It bears an inscription relating to William, Prince of Orange dated 1688.

Exeter Archaeology, 2001, Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Redevelopment at Wolborough Street, Newton Abbot, 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV310051.

Base of old market cross to north-east of St Leonard's Tower. Stepped octagonal granite base 1 metre high by 2 metres wide with a shallow pointed cap. The 1688 inscription relates to William, Prince of Orange.

Oakey, N. J., 2004, Bradley Lane, Newton Abbot: Desk Based Assessment, 20 (Report - Assessment). SDV338211.

Other details: Fig 3.

Gent, T. H. + Leverett, M., 2007, Archaeological Assessment of the Proposed Redevelopment at Wolborough Street, Bank Street and East Street, Newton Abbot, 2, 4, 8, 12, (Report - Assessment). SDV338207.

The reputed base to Newton Abbot Market Cross is currently located in Wolborough Street. Only the dark granite top of the existing structure represents the base; the plinth and stone cap are later additions. The base is reported to have held a cross in 1688. The base was described in 1830 as an 'octagonal block of granite 50 inches in diameter and 21 in thickness'. The cross is not shown on the circa 1803 map of Newton Abbot. The cross was felled by vandals shortly after it was raised on a pedestal in 1828 and the fate of the fallen cross is not known. The 'Market Cross' is shown on Ordnance Survey maps of 1889 and 1905 situated less than 20 metres from the eastern side of St Leonard's Tower. The base was moved to its current position by the 1950s replacing a former drinking fountain. An evaluation Trench 5 excavated in 2007 failed to expose any evidence of the original base for the market cross. The base of the old Market Cross will be moved during redevelopment but the new location was undecided in 2007. Other details: Fig 5.

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 521, (Vol 4), sketch (Un-published). SDV360833.

Wolborough Street SX857711
A cross pedestal stands in front of St Leonard's Tower, Wolborough Street, Newton Abbot. An ancient octagonal granite pedestal, it bears a lamp standard. It has an inscription - 'The first declaration of William the Third, Prince of Orange, the glorious defender of the protestant religion and the liberties of England, was read on this pedestal by the Reverend John Revnel, rector of this parish, on the 5th November, 1688'.
The pedestal was formerly used as a lamp standard holder, the lamp was removed in the 1930s and replaced with a conical granite top, in 2008 the area around St Leonard's Tower was redeveloped and the pedestal again bears a lamp standard, as it did prior to the 1930s.
Pedestal overall height 1.54 metres, width 1.62 metres. Top part 0.43 metres high, width 1.57 metres, middle 0.55 metres, width 1.52 metres, bottom 0.55 metres, width 1.62 metres.

English Heritage, 2012, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV348729.

Base of old market cross approximately eight metres north-east of St. Leonards Tower. Reported to be medieval, but probably 17th century. Stepped octagonal granite base approx one metre high and 2 metres across, with a shallow pointed cap. An inscription carved into the north-east side reads: 'THE FIRST DECLARATION OF WILLIAM PRINCE OF ORANGE THE GLORIOUS DEFENDER OF THE LIBERTIES OF ENGLAND WAS READ ON THIS PEDESTAL BY THE REV JOHN REYNEL RECTOR OF THIS PARISH ON 5 NOVEMBER 1688'. Date listed: 16th July 1949. Amended: 11th December 1996.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4206 - Bradley Lane Assessment
• EDV4214 - Wolborough Street, Bank Street & East Street, Newton Abbot
• EDV756 - Wolborough Street Redevelopment

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