Stone crosses in Cornwall

According to W. G. V. Balchin "The crosses are either plain or ornamented, invariably carved in granite, and the great majority are of the wheel-headed Celtic type."

"Here is an example of continuity in cultural traits extending over many generations: for we can look beyond the medieval cross to the inscribed stone and even farther back to the prehistoric mênhir, and yet bring the custom right up-to-date with the twentieth-century war memorial."—W.

"The Celtic crosses found in their hundreds at the roadside, in churchyards, towns and in the open landscape ... are the most pervasive and memorable evidence of the presence of Christianity across medieval Cornwall.

[8] There is a Cornish cross at Treniffle in the parish of Lawhitton; it was found built into an old barn at Tregada Farm about 1883 and then placed in her garden by Mrs.

[14] Arthur Langdon (1896) recorded a Cornish cross in the grounds of Trebartha Hall, North Hill; it had been found built into the gable of a nearby cottage.

Arthur Langdon said of it: "Undoubtedly this is a magnificent monument, and in regard to height is, with the exception of the cross in Mylor churchyard, since discovered, the tallest in Cornwall".

[27][28] Arthur Langdon (1896) recorded six Cornish crosses in the parish; in the churchyard, at Bosvathick, at Merthen, at Nanjarrow, at Trevease and at Trewardreva (illustrated Fig.

[37] There is a fragment of a cross head built into the north aisle wall at the parish church of Mawnan; it was found in the churchyard in 1881.

The stone is 17 ft 6 in long and there is a local tradition that it marked the site of St Mylor's grave not far from the place where it was found.

[50] Arthur Langdon (1896) recorded the existence of seven stone crosses in the parish of Wendron, including two at Merther Uny (one illustrated above right & Fig.

[51] An old carved granite stone can be seen approximately 300 yards (270 m) south-west of Porkellis Crossroads in the private field on the corner near Bodilly.

[68] Arthur Langdon (1896) records five stone crosses in the parish of St Clether of which four are at the old manor house of Basill Barton.

[79] At Lower Youlton farm, Warbstow, is a Cornish cross in use as a footbridge; it has undergone much wear from foot passengers and its original location is unknown.

d10) contains a number of crosses collected from nearby sites: the finest is one found in a well at Crane in 1896 but already known from William Borlase's account of it when it was at Fenton-ear.

[104] Arthur Langdon (1896) recorded the existence of seven stone crosses in the parish of St Just in Penwith, including two in the vicarage garden and two at Kenidjack.

[113] Creed-with-Grampound: Dr. Reginald Merther-derwa, rector of Creed in 1423–47 left a will providing for the erection of a series of stone crosses at Camborne.

The cross at Trelissick was moved from Tredrea in the parish of St Erth in the 1840s; it has a crude crucifixus figure on the front of the head but the back is defaced.

[119] Arthur Langdon (1896) describes a Cornish cross in the manor house grounds at Eastbourne, Sussex, which was originally at Kenwyn.

Davies Gilbert, a former resident of the manor house removed it from a roadside gate west of Truro where it was in use as a gatepost and had it transported to Eastbourne in 1817.

[128] There are two Cornish crosses in the parish of Roche: one in a meadow near the rectory garden is thought to be in situ; the other in the churchyard has ornament on the four sides of the shaft.

[136] A roadside Celtic cross once stood near Nunnery Hill, St Ewe (Charles Henderson in 1925 refers to it being at Lanhadron).

The base has survived in situ with an inscription in insular script, unreadable except for the word crucem; Elisabeth Okasha dates the construction of this monument between the ninth and eleventh centuries.

In 1958 during excavations in St Nicholas Street the upper section of a stone cross was found and placed next to the museum.

The Lanherne cross is a highly ornamented example and stands in the grounds of the nunnery having been brought from Roseworthy in the parish of Gwinear.

[171] In the churchyard of Morwenstow is a granite Celtic cross which is said to have been moved from a nearby moor by Parson Hawker to commemorate the death of his first wife, Charlotte.

Arthur Langdon (1896) records twelve stone crosses in the parish of Blisland, of which one is at St Pratt's Well and four are at Lavethan.

[181] There is a Cornish cross at Polrode Mill in the parish of St Kew; its original site is unknown and the head has been damaged.

h4, h5 & h5a), bearing inscriptions in Latin have been found in Cardinham; both had been embedded in the walls of the fifteenth-century church and were moved after their discovery to the churchyard.

[197] In the churchyard of Lostwithiel is a grave of a member of the Hext family with a medieval lantern cross mounted on a modern shaft.

The other crosses are three in the vicarage garden, another in the village, another in the churchyard (its shaft is ornamented on all four sides with interlaced carving; illustrated Fig.

Fig. 1: some stone crosses in Cornwall
Fig. 2: some more stone crosses
The hundreds of Cornwall
Fig. a1: the cross in the churchyard of Laneast
Fig. a2: the cross on Laneast Down
Fig. a3: a cross shaft by the roadside near Lewannick
Fig. a4: the cross in Quethiock churchyard
Fig. b1: the cross head at Breage
Fig. b2: the war memorial of Constantine, Kerrier
Fig. b3: a cross in Gunwalloe churchyard
Fig. b4: cottages with a roadside cross at Mawgan in Meneage
Fig. b5: the cross in the churchyard of Mylor
The roadside cross at Merther Uny
Fig. c1: St Nonna's Cross
Fig. c2: the churchyard cross at Michaelstow
Fig. d1: This cross once stood at the north of Nine Maidens Downs and marked the boundary between Camborne, Crowan, Wendron and Illogan parishes. It now stands in the grounds of Clowance House. The crossroads was known as Binnerton Cross; the head has a Greek cross on one side and a crude figure of Christ on the other. [ 83 ]
Fig. d2: the cross at Whitecross
Fig. d3: an old cross in hedge near Lesingey Lane
Fig. d4: the cross at Heamoor
Fig. d5: Tremethick Cross
Fig. d6: Trengwainton Cross
Fig. d7: a cross at Kerris Farm
Fig. d8: the cross at Crows-an-Wra
Fig. d9: one of the crosses on St Michael's Mount
Fig. e1: Nancor Cross, by a road junction east of Grampound
Fig. e2: Sandyway Cross
Fig. e3: the churchyard cross at Roche
Fig. e4: St Ewe Cross
Fig. e5: Fentongollan Cross
Fig. e6: Treneague Cross in St Stephen's churchyard; an old cross head set on a 19th-century shaft
Fig. e7: the cross at High Cross
Fig. f1: Reperry Cross
Fig. f2: Fenton Pits Cross
Fig. f3: St Piran's cross, Perranzabuloe; this cross has been dated by Charles Henderson as before 960 AD
Fig. f4: A cross in St Columb churchyard
Fig. g1: Three Holes Cross
Fig. g2: Penwine Cross
Fig. h1: Treslea Cross
Fig. h2: Long Tom
Fig. h3: crosses in St Neot churchyard
The hundreds of Cornwall
The cover of Old Cornish Crosses (1896)