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Summary

A tall medieval, wayside cross, known locally as The Stonen Hammer. Said to have been placed to guide pilgrims to Chittlehampton to bathe in water from St Teara's Well.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1358723: BRIGHTLEY CROSS
• Scheduled Monument 1013727: Wayside cross known as Eastacott Cross or the Stonen Hammer
• Scheduled Monument 1013727: Wayside cross known as Eastacott Cross or the Stonen Hammer

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS62SW/5
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 443221
• Old SAM County Ref: 295
• Old SAM Ref: 27328

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CROSS (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Stone Cross marked in antique writing. Brightley Cross is marked 200 metres to the north-east.

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

Stone Cross marked in antique writing

Chanter, J. F., 1908 - 1909, Unknown, 17-8 (Article in Serial). SDV86204.

Masson Phillips, E. N., 1938, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Devon: Part II, 311 (Article in Serial). SDV6308.

Site visit during 1937. Cross at Brightley. On road from Brightley Cross to Brightley Barton, about 1.5 kilometres due east of Umberleigh Bridge. Under a tree. Type B. A tall cross of octagonal section, the shaft tapering upwards, with straight arms and a slightly tapering head. Known locally as The Stonen Hammer.

Ministry of Works, 1953, Eastacott Cross (Schedule Document). SDV86201.

A tapering Latin cross of granite, at present apparently without a base, no trace of which can be found, either near the present site, or at Brightley Cross, where it may have come from. About nine feet high, with a chamfer on all edges. Probably late medieval.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SS62SW5, 5 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV86203.

Description correct. Other details: Photograph.

Department of Environment, 1964, South Molton Rural District, 16 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV320155.

Medieval but difficult to date.

Griffith, F. M., 1970, Eastacott Cross (Personal Comment). SDV323249.

The Ancient Monuments Inspector refers to 'Brightley Cross, where the cross may have come from'. On the Ordnance Survey 6 inch County Series map extract accompanying this report 'Brightley Cross' is marked where 'Eastacott Cross' is shown on Ordnance Survey 1:10000 (1975) map.

Weston, S., 1983, List of Field Monument Warden Visits 1982 (Un-published). SDV342456.

Other details: Visited in 1982.

Department of Environment, 1988, Chittlehampton, 52 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV86207.

Cross and cross-shaft. Probably late medieval. Granite. Monolithic type cross of latin shape with octagonal shaft. Brightley Cross and Winson Cross were both known locally as "Stonen Hammer". Brightly Cross stands almost against an old beech tree at the junction of two bye roads. Both crosses lie between an ancient mansion and the parish church.

Gerrard, H., 1994, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset, 139528 (Un-published). SDV86208.

At SS62272359. Wayside cross situated on a verge at a road junction between two unclassified roads to Brightley Barton and Eastacott. Known as Eastacott Cross or The Stonen Hammer. It is thought that it may have been moved to its present location from Brightley Cross at SS62392375, although there is no physical evidence to support this. The cross is made of granite, and appears to have no base, no trace was found at its present site or at Brightley Cross. It is a tall cross, octagonal in section and tapering upwards. It has straight arms and a slightly tapering head. It is 0.42 metres thick at the base tapering to 0.31 metres wide below the arms. The arms are 0.77 metres wide and 0.20 metres thick. The head is 0.22 metres wide and the cross is 2.18 metres high. The cross is leaning slightly, presumably as a result of it being previously located within the root system of a beech tree. This tree has now been cut down at ground level, although the roots remain. As the roots die back there is a risk of subsidence. Other details: Photograph.

Department of National Heritage, 1995, Wayside Cross known as Eastacott Cross or the Stonen Hammer (Schedule Document). SDV344394.

McCallum, D., 1996, Eastacott Cross, Chittlehampton (Correspondence). SDV355415.

The cross is leaning away from the road towards the verge. This is likely to have occurred very slowly over many years and intervention is only necessary if the monument continues to move.

Chittlehampton Parish Council, 2001, Stone Cross at Eastacott Cross (Ground Photograph). SDV363614.

Photographs of the Stone Cross accompanying a letter from the Parish Council to North Devon District Council expressing concern about the stability of the cross.
The cross stands close to the edge of the grass verge and its main support appears to be a tree root which is rotting.
The cross was placed to guide pilgrims who came to Chittlehampton to bath in the water from St Teara's Well which was believed to have healing powers.

North Devon District Council, 2003, North Devon Buildings at Risk Survey 2000-2003, 41 (Report - Survey). SDV344372.

Bank and foundations being eroded by passing traffic. Other details: Photograph.

Unknown, 2005, Ancient stone cross rescued from collapse (Article in Serial). SDV323254.

Plans by Devon County Council to build a retaining wall in 2005 to support the bank on which Eastacott Cross stands.

Dyer, M. J., 2005, Archaeological recording during the stabilisation of Eastacott Cross, Chittlehampton (Report - Watching Brief). SDV323657.

Eastacott Cross, which was also known as Brightley Cross, is a late medieval granite cross on the verge at the road junction between two unclassified roads to Brightley Barton and Eastacott. The cross had developed a lean to the south-west caused by an old beech tree to the north-east. In 2005 the cross was reset vertically by Devon County Council in a new concrete footing with a revetment wall. Excavation exposed the shoulders and base of the cross as well as the packing stones around the shaft.

Watson, A., 2007-2017?, Devon Crosses, 159, (Vol 2), sketch (Un-published). SDV360833.

Eastacott Cross SS623236
A cross stands at a road junction between Eastacott Cross and Brightley Barton, about 1.5 kilometres east of Umberleigh Bridge. A tall cross of octagonal section, the shaft tapering upwards, with straight arms and a slightly tapering head. Known locally as 'The Stonen Hammer' and 'Brightly Cross'. In the early 1990s the cross was in danger of collapsing into the road, the bank on which it stood having been gradually eroded by passing traffic. Work to preserve the ancient monument was carried out by Devon County Council in 2005, through the addition of a stone retaining wall to support the bank on which the cross now stands.
Cross height 2.62 metres, span 0.76 metres.

Ordnance Survey, 2020, MasterMap 2020 (Cartographic). SDV363413.

Cross marked at Stone Cross.

Historic England, 2020, National Heritage List for England, 1013727 (National Heritage List for England). SDV363414.

Wayside cross known as Eastacott Cross or the Stonen Hammer.
A wayside cross situated on a verge at a road junction between two unclassified roads to Brightley Barton and Eastacott. It is known as Eastacott Cross or the Stonen Hammer. The cross is thought to have been moved to its present location from Brightley Cross. The cross is made of granite, and appears to have no base. It is a tall cross, octagonal in section and tapering upwards. It has straight arms and a slightly tapering head.
Wayside crosses are one of several types of Christian cross erected during the medieval period, mostly from the 9th to 15th centuries AD. In addition to serving the function of reiterating and reinforcing the Christian faith amongst those who passed the cross and of reassuring the traveller, wayside crosses often fulfilled a role as waymarkers, especially in difficult and otherwise unmarked terrain.
Listed Grade II.
Date first scheduled: 3rd February 1953
See scheduling description for full details.

Historic England, 2020, National Heritage List for England, 1358723 (National Heritage List for England). SDV363414.

Brightley Cross. Cross and cross-shaft. Probably late medieval. Granite. Monolithic type cross of Latin shape with octagonal shaft.
Date first listed: 20th February 1967
See listing description for further details.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4599 - North Devon Buildings at Risk Survey 2000-2003
• EDV5752 - Archaeological Recording of Eastacott Cross, Chittlehampton

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