Dartmoor crosses
Encyclopedia
The Dartmoor crosses are a series of stone cross
es found in Dartmoor
National Park
in the centre of Devon
, England. Many of them are old navigational aids, needed because of the remoteness of the moorland
and its typically bad weather. Some mark medieval
routes between abbey
s. Other crosses were erected as memorials, for prayer, as town or market crosses, in churchyards, and as boundary markers. The crosses were erected over a long period of time, some as recently as 100 years ago, the earliest probably almost 1,000 years ago.
In 2005, the Dartmoor National Park Authority had an ongoing project to microchip the most vulnerable of its granite artifacts, including crosses, to deter theft and aid the recovery of any that might be stolen.
rules on austere living. Once the abbot went to Italy, the four brothers decided to celebrate, yet they needed some money. They robbed and killed a wealthy Jew. In the same evening the brothers were called to the nearby moor, which was covered in snow and ice at the time. When they reached the place, they realized that the messenger who had beckoned them was the ghost
of the murdered Jewish man.
The ghost hypnotized them, and they wandered into the mire
, fell through the ice, and were sucked into the thick bog. The abbot, who knew nothing about the murder of the old Jew and assumed they had run off out of guilt when they saw him coming home, ordered that the crosses be erected to mark the tracks from one monastery to another to prevent future monks from getting lost.
to Two Bridges
, about 900 metres north-west of the Warren House Inn
. It was probably erected at this spot for two reasons: as one of the markers of this route long before the road was built, and to mark the boundary between the parishes of Chagford
and North Bovey, which runs roughly along the same line as the road. Nothing is known of the early history of the cross, although its crude shape suggests that it is very old. It was later used as a boundary marker for Headland Warren ("WB" carved on one face stands for "Warren Bounds") and as one of the bounds of the mining sett
of Vitifer Mine. Its survival here is probably due to its use as a boundary marker: two similar crosses further along the road towards Two Bridges are known to have been removed in the 19th century.
The origin of the name is not known. In 1902, William Crossing
, the well known writer about Dartmoor, reported that it is mentioned in a document of 1702, where it is referred to in such a way as to indicate that it was already well-known. It has been suggested that it may have been erected by the monks of a local Benedictine Order ("Bennet" was a common corruption of "Benedict") or it may be named after William Bennet, who was a miner who attended a Stannary Parliament on Crockern Tor
in the early 16th century.
and Yelverton
. Two important 12th century routes used the river crossing here: one leading from Tavistock to Plympton Priory, the other to Ivybridge
via Cornwood
, so it is likely that the cross existed then. The first documentary evidence for it is a mention as a boundary mark in 1381.
The head of the cross was discovered by soldiers in 1873 and at the request of the vicar of the nearby village of Shaugh Prior
they erected it on the spot where it was found. By 1901 it had fallen again and it remained so until 1915 when Hugh Breton, the vicar of Sheepstor
, arranged for it to be re-erected on a new shaft. After searching for a suitable site to re-erect it, they dug a hole and fortuitously discovered the original socket-stone which they raised to ground level and re-used.
Early 20th century writers described incised crosses on the faces of the cross, but they are barely visible today.
Crazywell Cross is an ancient cross close to Crazywell Pool
in southern Dartmoor
. Like the cross pattée
, the arms of the cross grow wider as they move away from the centre. It probably was used as a marker for the track (Monks' Path) from Buckfast Abbey
to Tavistock Abbey
. The head of the cross was found close to the north-east side of the pool by William Crossing. He believed that its original site was nearer to the track and it was fitted with a new shaft and set up there. In 1952 it was reported to the Dartmoor Preservation Association
that the cross had been damaged again and it was repaired and the base made more secure.
Many legends and superstitions surround the nearby area. It was said Crazywell Pool
was bottomless and that waters of the pool were able to predict the next monk to die. There was also said to be a witch, who haunted the place and gave people bad advice. Legend says she advised Piers Gaveston, a possible lover of Edward II
, to return to king's court
after being banished to Ireland
telling him that "his humbled head shall soon be high". Instead, he was captured by the king's enemies and beheaded and his head was set up on high battlements.
area between Childe's Tomb
and Nun's Cross, on the Monks' Path. It was named for Lieutenant M. Lennon Goldsmith who discovered the socket, head and lower part of the shaft in 1903, making it the last major discovery of a cross on the moor. He reported his find to William Crossing whose detailed book on the crosses of Dartmoor had just been published. Crossing was unwilling to believe in its existence, so Goldsmith re-erected it with the help of four sailors from his ship. He passed the details to Crossing who conceded and included it in the 1910 edition of his Guide to Dartmoor. The cross is short and stumpy because the upper part of the shaft was never found.
and 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south of Combestone Tor. It lies at the junction of the Monks' Path and a track used by moorland farmers that went from Hexworthy
to South Brent
. It is now the first moorland cross on the eastern end of the Monks' Path, though it is thought that another one used to exist nearer to the edge of the moor.
In 1887, William Crossing wrote that the cross was badly damaged, with only the socket-stone and the head remaining. The head included a small part of the shaft and had only one arm complete. The cross has since been restored with a new shaft, though one of the arms remains mutilated and the iron tie-pieces holding the head to the shaft can be clearly seen.
Near to the cross, along the crest of the ridge, are a series of low Bronze Age
burial cairn
s and the remains of associated stone row
s. The cairn closest to the cross (60 metres to the west) was excavated by Robert Burnard in 1905. According to him its central pit contained "a considerable quantity of charcoal and burnt bones, but no other relics".
and Tavistock Abbey
. The name "Misery" was given to this place because of the harsh weather of this exposed corner of Fox Tor Newtake. When William Crossing first encountered this cross it was lying on the ground. In 1879 it was standing, but was down again in 1881. Crossing assisted in its re-erection in 1885, and it remains standing today.
The infamous Fox Tor mire in the vicinity of the cross became an inspiration for the Grimpen Mire, which Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
described in his The Hound of the Baskervilles
.
. It was historically known as Siward's Cross, most likely in connection with Siward, Earl of Northumbria
at the time of Edward the Confessor
. Siward was Lord of the Manor of Tavei (probably today's Mary Tavy
) and witnessed the founding charter of Exeter Cathedral in 1050. The derivation of its alternative name of Nun's Cross, which was first recorded as "Nannecross" in 1699, is unknown, but William Crossing suggested that it may be derived from the Cornu-Celtic "nans" or "nant" meaning valley or ravine.
The cross was probably erected during Edward the Confessor's reign (1042–1066), and stands at the junction of two main tracks across the moor: The Monks’ Path and the Abbots’ Way, both of which link Buckfast Abbey
to Tavistock Abbey
and Buckland Abbey
. It was knocked down in 1846 and the shaft broken. It was restored in 1848 at the instigation of Sir Ralph Lopes
.
Both faces of the cross bear badly weathered inscriptions which have been the source of much speculation since the 19th century. One currently favoured theory is that the western face reads BOC LAND, marking the limit of the land owned by Buckland Abbey, though on a 16th century map depicting the 1240 Perambulation it is recorded as ROOLANDE. This face also has a cross carved on it above the lettering. The eastern face may read SIWARD or SYWARD.
, this cross is at the crossroads of an ancient east-west track between Exeter and Plymouth, and the north-south Blackwood path that was once used by peat cutters.
The cross is unique on Dartmoor for having spurred limbs of a type that were popular in the 14th century. It is badly damaged, only the head (missing one arm) being original. A well-preserved cross of the same design, but made of sandstone, is in the porch of the village church in Ermington
, about four miles to the south. Spurrell's Cross was restored with a new shaft by the Dartmoor Preservation Association
in 1931, but was later knocked down. It was re-erected by the same organisation in 1954.
, who used it in his courtyard. Eventually the cross was returned to its original place and re-erected in 1885.
, mentions Siward
's Cross (listed above) and five others, now lost: Copriscrosse, Wolewille, Maynstoncross, Smalacumbacrosse and Yanedonecross.
Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...
es found in Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
National Park
National parks of England and Wales
The national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949...
in the centre of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England. Many of them are old navigational aids, needed because of the remoteness of the moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
and its typically bad weather. Some mark medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
routes between abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
s. Other crosses were erected as memorials, for prayer, as town or market crosses, in churchyards, and as boundary markers. The crosses were erected over a long period of time, some as recently as 100 years ago, the earliest probably almost 1,000 years ago.
In 2005, the Dartmoor National Park Authority had an ongoing project to microchip the most vulnerable of its granite artifacts, including crosses, to deter theft and aid the recovery of any that might be stolen.
Legend
There is a legend attached to the origin of the original crosses. The story says that there were four monks who did not want to follow their abbot'sAbbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
rules on austere living. Once the abbot went to Italy, the four brothers decided to celebrate, yet they needed some money. They robbed and killed a wealthy Jew. In the same evening the brothers were called to the nearby moor, which was covered in snow and ice at the time. When they reached the place, they realized that the messenger who had beckoned them was the ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
of the murdered Jewish man.
The ghost hypnotized them, and they wandered into the mire
Bog
A bog, quagmire or mire is a wetland that accumulates acidic peat, a deposit of dead plant material—often mosses or, in Arctic climates, lichens....
, fell through the ice, and were sucked into the thick bog. The abbot, who knew nothing about the murder of the old Jew and assumed they had run off out of guilt when they saw him coming home, ordered that the crosses be erected to mark the tracks from one monastery to another to prevent future monks from getting lost.
Bennett's Cross
This cross is by the side of the road from MoretonhampsteadMoretonhampstead
Moretonhampstead lies on the edge of Dartmoor and is notable for having the longest one-word name of any place in England. The parish church is dedicated to St. Andrew. George Oliver and John Pike Jones , 1828, Exeter: E. Woolmer. Moretonhampstead is twinned with Betton in France.-History:The...
to Two Bridges
Two Bridges
Two Bridges is an isolated location in the heart of Dartmoor National Park in Devon, England. It is situated around north east of Princetown on the old turnpike road which was built across Dartmoor in the late 18th century ....
, about 900 metres north-west of the Warren House Inn
Warren House Inn
The Warren House Inn is a remote and isolated public house in the heart of Dartmoor, Devon, England. It is the highest pub in southern England at 1,425 feet above sea level...
. It was probably erected at this spot for two reasons: as one of the markers of this route long before the road was built, and to mark the boundary between the parishes of Chagford
Chagford
Chagford is a small town and civil parish on the north-east edge of Dartmoor, in Devon, England, close to the River Teign. It is located off the A382, about 4 miles west of Moretonhampstead. The name Chagford is derived from the word chag, meaning gorse or broom, and the ford suffix indicates its...
and North Bovey, which runs roughly along the same line as the road. Nothing is known of the early history of the cross, although its crude shape suggests that it is very old. It was later used as a boundary marker for Headland Warren ("WB" carved on one face stands for "Warren Bounds") and as one of the bounds of the mining sett
Mining sett
Mining setts were a legal arrangement used historically in the counties of Devon and Cornwall in South West England to manage the exploitation of land for the extraction of tin....
of Vitifer Mine. Its survival here is probably due to its use as a boundary marker: two similar crosses further along the road towards Two Bridges are known to have been removed in the 19th century.
The origin of the name is not known. In 1902, William Crossing
William Crossing
William Crossing was a writer and documenter of Dartmoor and Dartmoor life. He lived successively at South Brent, Brentor and at Mary Tavy but died at Plymouth.-Early life:...
, the well known writer about Dartmoor, reported that it is mentioned in a document of 1702, where it is referred to in such a way as to indicate that it was already well-known. It has been suggested that it may have been erected by the monks of a local Benedictine Order ("Bennet" was a common corruption of "Benedict") or it may be named after William Bennet, who was a miner who attended a Stannary Parliament on Crockern Tor
Crockern Tor
Crockern Tor is a tor in Dartmoor National Park, Devon, England. Composed of two large outcrops of rock, it is 396 metres above sea level. The lower outcrop was the open-air meeting place of the Devonshire Stannary Parliament from the early 14th century until the first half of the 18th century...
in the early 16th century.
Cadover Cross
Cadover Cross is located on Wigford Down, about 250 metres north-west of Cadover Bridge on the minor road between PlymptonPlympton
Plympton, or Plympton Maurice or Plympton St Maurice or Plympton St Mary or Plympton Erle, in south-western Devon, England is an ancient stannary town: an important trading centre in the past for locally mined tin, and a former seaport...
and Yelverton
Yelverton, Devon
Yelverton is a large village on the south-western edge of Dartmoor, Devon, in England.When the village's railway station opened in the 19th century, the village became a popular residence for Plymouth commuters...
. Two important 12th century routes used the river crossing here: one leading from Tavistock to Plympton Priory, the other to Ivybridge
Ivybridge
Ivybridge is a small town and civil parish in the South Hams, in Devon, England. It lies about east of Plymouth. It is at the southern extremity of Dartmoor, a National Park of England and Wales and lies along the A38 "Devon Expressway" road...
via Cornwood
Cornwood
Cornwood is a village and civil parish in the South Hams in Devon, England. It has a population of 988.- Religion :The Church of St Michael's is Cornwood's parish church....
, so it is likely that the cross existed then. The first documentary evidence for it is a mention as a boundary mark in 1381.
The head of the cross was discovered by soldiers in 1873 and at the request of the vicar of the nearby village of Shaugh Prior
Shaugh Prior
Shaugh Prior is a village and civil parish on the south-western side of Dartmoor in the county of Devon, England. In 2001 its population was 751. The parish stretches from the edge of Plymouth to the high moorland of Dartmoor. The River Plym forms its western and northern boundaries up to the...
they erected it on the spot where it was found. By 1901 it had fallen again and it remained so until 1915 when Hugh Breton, the vicar of Sheepstor
Sheepstor
Sheepstor is a village and civil parish on the western side of Dartmoor in the county of Devon, England. In 2001 its population was 53, down from 95 in 1901. For administrative purposes the parish is grouped with the parishes of Meavy and Walkhampton to form Burrator Parish Council, and for...
, arranged for it to be re-erected on a new shaft. After searching for a suitable site to re-erect it, they dug a hole and fortuitously discovered the original socket-stone which they raised to ground level and re-used.
Early 20th century writers described incised crosses on the faces of the cross, but they are barely visible today.
Crazywell Cross
Crazywell Pool
Crazywell Pool or Crazy Well Pool is a large pond situated about south of Princetown just off the path between Burrator and Whiteworks on the western side of Dartmoor, Devon, England at . It is about long and has a surface area of about ....
in southern Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
. Like the cross pattée
Cross pattée
A cross pattée is a type of cross which has arms narrow at the centre, and broader at the perimeter. An early English example from the start of the age of heraldry proper A cross pattée (or "cross patty", known also as "cross formée/formy") is a type of cross which has arms narrow at the...
, the arms of the cross grow wider as they move away from the centre. It probably was used as a marker for the track (Monks' Path) from Buckfast Abbey
Buckfast Abbey
Buckfast Abbey forms part of an active Benedictine monastery at Buckfast, near Buckfastleigh, Devon, England. Dedicated to Saint Mary, it was founded in 1018 and run by the Cistercian order from 1147 until it was destroyed under the Dissolution of the Monasteries...
to Tavistock Abbey
Tavistock Abbey
Tavistock Abbey, also known as the Abbey of Saint Mary and Saint Rumon, is a ruined Benedictine abbey in Tavistock, Devon. Nothing remains of the abbey except the refectory, two gateways and a porch. The abbey church, dedicated to Our Lady and St Rumon, was destroyed by Danish raiders in 997 and...
. The head of the cross was found close to the north-east side of the pool by William Crossing. He believed that its original site was nearer to the track and it was fitted with a new shaft and set up there. In 1952 it was reported to the Dartmoor Preservation Association
Dartmoor Preservation Association
The Dartmoor Preservation Association, or DPA, was founded in 1883. It is a charity, which provides an independent viewpoint on the current issues affecting Dartmoor and performs valuable conservation work on archaeological sites...
that the cross had been damaged again and it was repaired and the base made more secure.
Many legends and superstitions surround the nearby area. It was said Crazywell Pool
Crazywell Pool
Crazywell Pool or Crazy Well Pool is a large pond situated about south of Princetown just off the path between Burrator and Whiteworks on the western side of Dartmoor, Devon, England at . It is about long and has a surface area of about ....
was bottomless and that waters of the pool were able to predict the next monk to die. There was also said to be a witch, who haunted the place and gave people bad advice. Legend says she advised Piers Gaveston, a possible lover of Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
, to return to king's court
Noble court
The court of a monarch, or at some periods an important nobleman, is a term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler or central figure...
after being banished to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
telling him that "his humbled head shall soon be high". Instead, he was captured by the king's enemies and beheaded and his head was set up on high battlements.
Goldsmith's Cross
Goldsmith's cross is located in the Fox Tor MireFox Tor
Fox Tor is a relatively minor tor on Dartmoor in the United Kingdom. It is probably best known for the swampy land that lies beneath it, Fox Tor Mires. This is said to have been the inspiration for the fictional Grimpen Mire in the novel The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle...
area between Childe's Tomb
Childe's Tomb
Childe's Tomb is a granite cross on Dartmoor, Devon, England. Although not in its original form, it is more elaborate than most of the crosses on Dartmoor, being raised upon a constructed base, and it is known that a kistvaen is underneath....
and Nun's Cross, on the Monks' Path. It was named for Lieutenant M. Lennon Goldsmith who discovered the socket, head and lower part of the shaft in 1903, making it the last major discovery of a cross on the moor. He reported his find to William Crossing whose detailed book on the crosses of Dartmoor had just been published. Crossing was unwilling to believe in its existence, so Goldsmith re-erected it with the help of four sailors from his ship. He passed the details to Crossing who conceded and included it in the 1910 edition of his Guide to Dartmoor. The cross is short and stumpy because the upper part of the shaft was never found.
Horn's Cross
Horn's Cross is located on the lower part of Holne Ridge, east of the O BrookO Brook
The O Brook is a short tributary of the West Dart River on Dartmoor in Devon, England. It lies near the village of Hexworthy, and the lower part of the stream forms the boundary between the parishes of Holne and Dartmoor Forest...
and 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south of Combestone Tor. It lies at the junction of the Monks' Path and a track used by moorland farmers that went from Hexworthy
Hexworthy
Hexworthy is a hamlet on Dartmoor, in Devon, England. It lies on the West Dart River a mile upstream from Dartmeet. Historically in the parish of Lydford, since 1987 it has been in the civil parish of Dartmoor Forest....
to South Brent
South Brent
South Brent is a large village on the southern edge of Dartmoor, England, in the valley of the River Avon, population 2998 , 8 km north-east of Ivybridge, and next to the Devon Expressway which connects Exeter to the north-east and Plymouth to the west.-History:It was originally a woollen...
. It is now the first moorland cross on the eastern end of the Monks' Path, though it is thought that another one used to exist nearer to the edge of the moor.
In 1887, William Crossing wrote that the cross was badly damaged, with only the socket-stone and the head remaining. The head included a small part of the shaft and had only one arm complete. The cross has since been restored with a new shaft, though one of the arms remains mutilated and the iron tie-pieces holding the head to the shaft can be clearly seen.
Near to the cross, along the crest of the ridge, are a series of low Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
burial cairn
Cairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
s and the remains of associated stone row
Stone row
A stone row , is a linear arrangement of upright, parallel megalithic standing stones set at intervals along a common axis or series of axes, usually dating from the later Neolithic or Bronze Age. Rows may be individual or grouped, and three or more stones aligned can constitute a stone row...
s. The cairn closest to the cross (60 metres to the west) was excavated by Robert Burnard in 1905. According to him its central pit contained "a considerable quantity of charcoal and burnt bones, but no other relics".
Mount Misery Cross
Like Crazywell Cross, it was used to mark the Monks' Path between Buckfast AbbeyBuckfast Abbey
Buckfast Abbey forms part of an active Benedictine monastery at Buckfast, near Buckfastleigh, Devon, England. Dedicated to Saint Mary, it was founded in 1018 and run by the Cistercian order from 1147 until it was destroyed under the Dissolution of the Monasteries...
and Tavistock Abbey
Tavistock Abbey
Tavistock Abbey, also known as the Abbey of Saint Mary and Saint Rumon, is a ruined Benedictine abbey in Tavistock, Devon. Nothing remains of the abbey except the refectory, two gateways and a porch. The abbey church, dedicated to Our Lady and St Rumon, was destroyed by Danish raiders in 997 and...
. The name "Misery" was given to this place because of the harsh weather of this exposed corner of Fox Tor Newtake. When William Crossing first encountered this cross it was lying on the ground. In 1879 it was standing, but was down again in 1881. Crossing assisted in its re-erection in 1885, and it remains standing today.
The infamous Fox Tor mire in the vicinity of the cross became an inspiration for the Grimpen Mire, which Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
described in his The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles is the third of four crime novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the detective Sherlock Holmes. Originally serialised in The Strand Magazine from August 1901 to April 1902, it is set largely on Dartmoor in Devon in England's West Country and tells the story of an...
.
Nun's or Siward's Cross
This is the largest and oldest recorded cross on Dartmoor, being mentioned in the 1240 Perambulation of the Forest of DartmoorForest of Dartmoor
The Forest of Dartmoor is an ancient royal forest covering part of Dartmoor, Devon, England.A royal forest was an area reserved by the king for hunting, and William the Conqueror introduced the concept of forest law in England in the 11th century...
. It was historically known as Siward's Cross, most likely in connection with Siward, Earl of Northumbria
Siward, Earl of Northumbria
Siward or Sigurd was an important earl of 11th-century northern England. The Old Norse nickname Digri and its Latin translation Grossus are given to him by near-contemporary texts...
at the time of Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
. Siward was Lord of the Manor of Tavei (probably today's Mary Tavy
Mary Tavy
Mary Tavy is a village with a population of around 600, located four miles north of Tavistock in Devon in south-west England; it is named after the River Tavy. It used to be home to the world's largest copper mine Wheal Friendship, as well as a number of lead and tin mines. It borders Dartmoor...
) and witnessed the founding charter of Exeter Cathedral in 1050. The derivation of its alternative name of Nun's Cross, which was first recorded as "Nannecross" in 1699, is unknown, but William Crossing suggested that it may be derived from the Cornu-Celtic "nans" or "nant" meaning valley or ravine.
The cross was probably erected during Edward the Confessor's reign (1042–1066), and stands at the junction of two main tracks across the moor: The Monks’ Path and the Abbots’ Way, both of which link Buckfast Abbey
Buckfast Abbey
Buckfast Abbey forms part of an active Benedictine monastery at Buckfast, near Buckfastleigh, Devon, England. Dedicated to Saint Mary, it was founded in 1018 and run by the Cistercian order from 1147 until it was destroyed under the Dissolution of the Monasteries...
to Tavistock Abbey
Tavistock Abbey
Tavistock Abbey, also known as the Abbey of Saint Mary and Saint Rumon, is a ruined Benedictine abbey in Tavistock, Devon. Nothing remains of the abbey except the refectory, two gateways and a porch. The abbey church, dedicated to Our Lady and St Rumon, was destroyed by Danish raiders in 997 and...
and Buckland Abbey
Buckland Abbey
Buckland Abbey is a 700-year-old house in Buckland Monachorum, near Yelverton, Devon, England, noted for its connection with Sir Francis Drake and presently in the ownership of the National Trust.-History:...
. It was knocked down in 1846 and the shaft broken. It was restored in 1848 at the instigation of Sir Ralph Lopes
Sir Ralph Lopes, 2nd Baronet
Sir Ralph Lopes, 2nd Baronet , of Maristow in Devon, was a British Member of Parliament .Lopes was born as Ralph Franco. His uncle, Manasseh Masseh Lopes, an MP and borough owner, was created a baronet in 1805, with a special remainder to his nephew...
.
Both faces of the cross bear badly weathered inscriptions which have been the source of much speculation since the 19th century. One currently favoured theory is that the western face reads BOC LAND, marking the limit of the land owned by Buckland Abbey, though on a 16th century map depicting the 1240 Perambulation it is recorded as ROOLANDE. This face also has a cross carved on it above the lettering. The eastern face may read SIWARD or SYWARD.
Spurrell's Cross
Located on Ugborough Moor, three miles north-east of IvybridgeIvybridge
Ivybridge is a small town and civil parish in the South Hams, in Devon, England. It lies about east of Plymouth. It is at the southern extremity of Dartmoor, a National Park of England and Wales and lies along the A38 "Devon Expressway" road...
, this cross is at the crossroads of an ancient east-west track between Exeter and Plymouth, and the north-south Blackwood path that was once used by peat cutters.
The cross is unique on Dartmoor for having spurred limbs of a type that were popular in the 14th century. It is badly damaged, only the head (missing one arm) being original. A well-preserved cross of the same design, but made of sandstone, is in the porch of the village church in Ermington
Ermington, Devon
Ermington is a village and civil parish located approximately south of the town of Ivybridge in the county of Devon, England. The village is in the South Hams district and is twinned with the commune of Clécy, in Normandy, France. It is known well for its crooked church spire, which a pub has been...
, about four miles to the south. Spurrell's Cross was restored with a new shaft by the Dartmoor Preservation Association
Dartmoor Preservation Association
The Dartmoor Preservation Association, or DPA, was founded in 1883. It is a charity, which provides an independent viewpoint on the current issues affecting Dartmoor and performs valuable conservation work on archaeological sites...
in 1931, but was later knocked down. It was re-erected by the same organisation in 1954.
Ter Hill crosses
There were two crosses on Ter Hill — a southwest one and a northeast one. The southwest cross was badly damaged and found too fragile to stand at its original location. It was moved to the Jack Wigmore Memorial Garden. The northeast cross was removed from its original place in the 17th century by a Mr. Coaker of SherbertonAncient Tenements
The Ancient Tenements are the oldest surviving farms on Dartmoor, in England. They have been established here since 14th century, and possibly earlier....
, who used it in his courtyard. Eventually the cross was returned to its original place and re-erected in 1885.
Other crosses
There are 132 known crosses within the National Park boundary, according to Harrison. This is a list of a few of them.- Childe's TombChilde's TombChilde's Tomb is a granite cross on Dartmoor, Devon, England. Although not in its original form, it is more elaborate than most of the crosses on Dartmoor, being raised upon a constructed base, and it is known that a kistvaen is underneath....
- Harton Cross
- Hexworthy Cross
- Hobajohn's Cross
- Huntingdon Cross
- Maggie Cross
- Petre's Cross
- Sampford Spiney Cross
- Shaugh Prior crosses
- Week Down Cross
- Widecombe crosses
- Widgery Cross
Lost crosses
A deed of Amicia, Countess of Devon dated 1280, in which she gifts lands to Buckland AbbeyBuckland Abbey
Buckland Abbey is a 700-year-old house in Buckland Monachorum, near Yelverton, Devon, England, noted for its connection with Sir Francis Drake and presently in the ownership of the National Trust.-History:...
, mentions Siward
Siward, Earl of Northumbria
Siward or Sigurd was an important earl of 11th-century northern England. The Old Norse nickname Digri and its Latin translation Grossus are given to him by near-contemporary texts...
's Cross (listed above) and five others, now lost: Copriscrosse, Wolewille, Maynstoncross, Smalacumbacrosse and Yanedonecross.