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Summary

Medieval wayside incised cross built into a garden wall at Southcott Cross

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1013612: Wayside cross in the garden hedge of Southcott Cottage, at a crossroads called Southcott Cross

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 440898
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX59SW/8
• Old SAM County Ref: 765
• Old SAM Ref: 27334
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX59SW2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (VIII to XV - 800 AD to 1500 AD (Between))

Full description

Woollcombe, V., 1878, Sculptured Wayside Cross, 232 (Article in Serial). SDV346269.

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

'Stone Cross' shown at 'Southcott Cross' on 19th century map.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1937, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part I, 334 (Article in Serial). SDV240502.

Other details: Plate 37, Figure 14.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1940, Supplementary Notes on the Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon. (Second paper), 267 (Article in Serial). SDV86756.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1952 - 1955, SX59SW2 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV346240.

Stone cross built into garden wall at Southcott Cross. Cross 2.1 metres high by 0.7 metres wideand very well preserved. Other details: Illustration.

Department of Environment, 1972, Southcott Stone Cross (Schedule Document). SDV346238.

Southcott stone cross is 5 foot (1.52 metres) high with an octagonal shaft, head and arms. Very weathered incised cross on the north face. The end of the garden wall has been built against the cross shaft. Other details: Monument 765.

Gerrard, S., 1994, 139534 (Un-published). SDV346270.

1994, Untitled Source (Photograph). SDV346271.

Department of Environment, 1995, Wayside Cross in the Garden Hedge of Southcott Cottage, at a Crossroads called Southcott Cross (Schedule Document). SDV346239.

This monument includes a wayside cross built into the hedge of Southcott Cottage and is situated at a crossroads called Southcott Cross. It is a tall granite cross of octagonal section which tapers slightly upwards. The shaft measures 0.4 metres square at the base, 0.35 metres square under the arms and 0.72 metres wide at the arms. The head is 0.3 metres wide and 0.43 metres high; the arms are 0.26 metres thick and the cross is 1.78 metres high. The cross is rare in Devon in having an incised crude representation of a crucified figure on the western face between the arms. The figure is 0.35 metres high, 0.38 metres wide at the arms and 0.07 metres wide across the feet. On the eastern face of the cross is a second figure, thought to represent either a monk in prayer or the figure of the Virgin Mary with hands clasped. It is of similar size to the first figure. A drill hole has been cut at some time into the right hand arm of the cross. Excluded from the scheduling is the garden wall where it falls within the cross's protective margin, athough the ground beneath the wall is included. Wayside crosses are one of several types of Christian cross erected during the Medieval period, mostly from the 9th to 15th centuries AD. This cross survives well and is likely to be in its original position. Its importance is enhanced by the unusual feature of the incised decoration of a crucified figure on one face, and of the Virgin Mary (or a monk in prayer), on the opposite face. Other details: Monument 27334.

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 436, (Vol 4), sketch (Un-published). SDV360833.

Southcott SX550948
Southcott Cross is built into the garden wall of a roadside cottage in the hamlet of Southcott, about three miles west of Okehampton. A tall cross of octagonal section, the shaft tapering very slightly upwards. The cross is probably unique in Devon, having an incised crude representation of a crucified figure on the face between the arms. There is also an incised figure on the hidden face of the cross, a representation of the Virgin Mary.
Cross height 1.91 metres, span 0.73 metres. Incised 0.40 metres, span 0.40 metres.

National Monuments Record, 2011, 440898 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV346272.

A wayside cross built into the hedge of Southcott Cottage. It is a tall granite cross and rare in Devon for having an incised crude representation of a crucified figure on the western face between the arms.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

'Cross' shown on modern mapping on the south-east corner of the road junction.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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