The Old Stone Crosses of Dorset

THE O LD STO NE CRO SSES O F DO RSET

WITH AN INTRODU CTIO N AND

DESCRIPTIVE ARTICLES

BY ALFR ED $0s ‘

ou cnu u . mann a or n u nou n n u n “. a m ou r u p ANTIQU A U ANn u n cu m ; sou cr rou or r u n

m u m cou r t ; n . m a nou n

ILLUS TRATED WI TH NUMERO US PLJTES ! ND 1

KEY-HI P OF THE C O UNTY

LO NDO N : PRINTED AT THE CHISW ICK PRESS

A N o HEN N Doncnzs‘ r nn D sw BY RY LI G , x 9o6

E‘ T‘

PREFACE

T isnow some twelve years since I first became e the e C sof inter sted in Old Ston rosse Dorset , when the restoration ofthe fifteenth-century cross e in the Stratton churchyard was contemplated . I th n read a paper on Stratton Church and Village Cross at a meeti ng of the Dorset Natural History and w ft sa a Antiquarian Field Club, hich a erward ppe red

. x vi of i sw a w in vol its Proceed ng , ith vie to g iving e publicity to the matt r. Since then I have made the old stone crosses of a and a m Dorset a study, and very interesting bsorbing has the e e of a one it proved to be, and at urg nt requ st “ 7 of now several influential members the club, I put the information acquired at the service of the members ofthe Club and others who take an interest a e m in these ncient ston s. I have had considerable difficulty in deciding on e of e the arrangem nt the several d scriptive articles . w s so connected ith these crosses. Dor et is not rich in as f w w c old crosses the counties urther est, into hi h V w w r t they ere introduced, ith Ch is ianity, at a much r a ea lier d te . s of x -one The remain si ty crosses only , in some “ cas fa to es mere r gments, are all I have been able discover in this county . In the county of Somerset f w Mr. Pooley tells us he has ound over t o hundred to describe and delineate ; and in Devon and Cornwall of there are the remains a much larger number, many of n e f very a cient dat , some be ore the Saxon and a s rse f Norman er s, wherea in Do t I have only ound of the one, viz that at Todbere, the Saxon period, remainder being mostly erected in the fourteenth and fif teenth centuries . h s f for conveni I have t ought it be t, there ore, the e of a to fa f nce my re ders and cilitate re erence , to arrange the descriptive articles relating to these crosses in alphabetical order rather than in order of e w w dat , hich some ould consider the more correct a rrangement . The reader m ay think t hat in some instances the descriptions have been somewhat encum bered by s e t a l he a of mea ur men s and det i , but may be ssured the accuracy of these as well asof the other parts of as the descriptive matter, I have personally i ak v sited almost every stone described , and t en wn the measurements with my o hand . This vi sr f I considered neces a y, as the photographs rom which the plates have been taken ar e not of

s . a s s a to . cour e sc le The e plate , however, convey true impression of the subject ; they preserve its main featuresand are of the greatest help in illus r t t a ing the text . ’ I must crave the reader s indulgence if in any of my descriptive articles I have gone astray on any c —I —bu t if techni al points , am no architect by writing these essays I can induce him to take an interest in these ancient crossesand preserve their a s for rem ins, I hall be amply repaid the trouble I ak have t en in describing them . It has been somewhat difficult to locate the remains of the many stone crosses scattered up and down a w the county, but I venture to think th t, ith the n of seson o exceptio cros t mbs and monumental slabs , ss are e s and church gable cro es, which so num rou that I cou ld not include them in a work of this i size, none have been om tted . n and t I have to tha k the clergy , gentry, o hers in for n the county , the ready and able assista ce they have and rendered me in my work , the courtesy with which they have responded to my sometimes trouble i ofw f e some inqu ries, to many hom I have re err d in a my descriptive articles , and I h rdly think they vii 6 ld ih i m h h re wou w s the r na es repeated ere . I ave ceived great technical assistance and considerabl e ’ f e of in bou r th . Po help my la s rom study Mr C . oley s ” i l e k on o se of So st adm rab wor the Stone Cr s s mer e , ’ “ I Bri i and u i of Mr. . T. ght s Anc ent Crosses Antiq ties ” ’ ” n al and R m se of Cor w l , im er s Stone Cros s England , and a ed u u sefiil f h'om g ther m ch in ormation the Rev. ’ El iasOwen swork on the Old Stone Crosses of ’ l and fr m u of Wa es, o H tchins s History Dorset . I mu st thank those l adiesand gentlemen who have a a s rendered . me gre t help by t king mo t excellent r a of m n fr the photog phs my a y subjects, om which l u h d plates in the vo me ave been reproduce . S l s ome may say that these photogravure p ate , u of o which are q ite works art, are more c stly than a k of o l n the wor this character w u d warra t, but great importance oftheir being permanent must not be for was to gotten , and I unable obtain a guarantee that r c s any ofthe cheaper p o esse would prove so . i d as f c I have ntroduce , a rontispie e, a sketch map ofthe u ofthe s co nty, with the positions several cros es e so t a f mark d in red, that hey may be e sily ound, should any of my readers have the cu riosity to

Vl Sl t . them ALFRED Po s p .

' Doacu zsr aa,

A r il I 06. p , 9 CONTENTS

Paau ca

TABLE or Com am s

La w or P u mas

MA P or Doass'r su owm c OSITIO or Caossx s , P N (a tispiece)

IN'r aonu c'r xou

BA'r cou na Down CROSS-A ND-HAND Bu mm er “

Bu u nr oao Foru m

Bu nr onn Anu s(Cu u acu u nn) (V BRIDPORT

CA'r 'r rs'rocx

CBRNB Anu s

Cu asn nonna m z O x nr onn - Con n ou Anu s Conn Cas'r u

Conn Mu m. “

Fir m-t u n Ma o na u n

' FoNr u u x. MAGNA GUSSA L G ! A I. SAINTS

' Gu m s: S r . MI cu AaI. HAMMON aliasHAM-MOHUN l wa z Ca u n'a v aliasSHROTON LANo'm NHsaaI No

LIIIG II IN YETMINSTER (VI LLAG B) (CIw It I vAIt n)

a u r r MI Ns'r za

MAIDEN Naw't oN(V (Cu u acu vAa n)

Men u “ Bu n

Mat nvnv O SMOND MILTON AnaAs MI N'r anNs(LITTLE)

Mo'r cou nz

O x sr ono aliasc r oan FITZPAINE PAna (W337 ) PIMPERNE Pooas'rocx aliasPowsns'r ocx

PUc Nowu WI 'r II Swvnz

RA MPISII AM(CHU RC HYARD) (VI LLAG B) SHAFTESBURY (VARIOUS Cnossas) (How TRINITY) ’ ' (S r . Joa Ns) PAG E

SHA pvn cx

S HBRBO RNB (CO NDU I ‘P) S HI LLI NGS’I‘ O NB (VI LLAG B) (CHURCHYARD)

S PB‘I‘ TI SBU RY STALBRIDGE STI NSI'O RD (ON THE HEATH) (A'r DU DDL! ) (AT THE CROSS ROADS) STRATTON (CHU Rc ARD) (GRI II S'r O Na DOWN) STUDLAND

STO RII I NS'I'IIR MARSHALL

STU RMI NS‘I‘ BR a 'r oN

S LI ' NI AS YD NG S r . CHOL TAR RAN'I' CRAWFORD TARRAN‘I' HINTON TARRAN'I' MO NIt 'r O N

TO Du Ra TYNEHAM

WHITCOM BE

WI NTaRnO RNz STIC KLAND

LIST OF PLATES

KEY-MA P or DORSET Fr ontirpicce BATcO HEE DOWN CROSS-AND-HAND STONE) BEAMINSTER (ROBINSON MEMORIAL) BRA Dr O RD AEEAS (CHURCHYARD)

BRI DRO RT

CERNE AEEAS

CHESIILEORNE COMPTON AEEAS

CO Rr E CASTLE

CO Rr E MULLEN LANGTON HERRING LEIGH IN YETMINSTER (VILLAGE) MAIDEN NEWTON (VILLAGE)

MBLBU RY Bu ss

MOTcO IuI EE

O KEFORD FIs AI NE

PI H RERNE

PO c NOWLE

RAMPISHAM (CH U RCHYARD) (V xiii S HATTESEU RY (HOLY TRINITY)

’ (ST. JOHN S)

SHA W ICK

SHEREO RNE (CONDUIT) SHILLINGSTONE

SPI ‘ I‘ TISBU RY

STALERI DG E STRATTON (CHURCHYARD)

STU RII I NSTER MARSHALL STURHI NSTER NEWTON

SYDLING ST. NICHOLAS TARRANT CRAWIrO RD TO DEERE

WHI TCO MEE

WI NTEREO RNE STc LA ND

x iv THE O LD STO NE C RO SS ES O F DO RSET

INTRODUCTION

HE C ROSS wasfrom the earliest times adopted of fa by Christians as an emblem their ith . It w his a as . u s , Mr Blight tells , in admir ble work on the Ancient Crossesand Antiquitiesof Corn ” n as n wall , probably introduced into Engla d a Christia a f is s symbol with Christi nity itsel , which suppo ed to

a a A D . 60 h ve been bout the year . .

. a A D . 2 St Patrick landed in Irel nd in . 43 . The conversion of the Irish to Christianity took place af for asA D n as . shortly terwards, early . Irela d “ was of named the Isle Saints . There isevidence that crosses were erected in Ire a f as i l nd soon a ter this date, and miss onaries were sent from Ireland to Cornwall and the west of Eng it is a land, re sonable to suppose that they caused I E crosses to be erected in those counties in which they e d a f as . w minist re We are told th t St. Wil rid, who Archbishop of York at the beginning of the eighth e a his w c ntury , travelled bout diocese ith a large body of a him w monks and workmen ttending , amongst hom e a e s were cutters in ston , who m d crosse and erected f them on the spotswhich St . Wil rid consecrated to the worship of G od ; and there islittle doubt that hisex ample was followed by the bishops and abbots of a l ter periods . e s of a f Th se early crosse were mostly the L tin orm, at a one straight body laid right ngles upon another, having the shaft below the transverse b ar longer than whi a and the part ch rises bove the transverse bar, was s of s an as the ign or emblem the Chri ti religion , being a representation of the instrument of punish ment on which Jesus Christ suffered death from the

e . The G e w h has at J ws r ek cross , hic its arms right a e of was ngl s and equal length , not introduced into se a a We t rn Europe until a l ter date, probably bout I O 0 m a se w the and 5 , when the schis ro bet een Latin G ee e G s r k Church s . The reek crosse in this country

were probably erected during this contention . Then ’ s d s ss Cr x dem r r ata e i . w u ther the St An re cro or , — f o . thus, X and the cross St Anthony with no mem r e s The a m be . above the transv r e bar, thus, T l ost 2 universal plan upon which cathedrals and churches in n is at this cou try are built the Latin cross, once pre-eminently characteristic and significant of the f f of G Christian aith , the orm the reek cross being rarely adopted . Having briefly reviewed the introduction of the s a off u s cro s into this country, and its v riety orm, let consider the very many occasions and diversity of w h of ays in w ich the cross, in various modifications f its orm , would naturally be adopted . a The Right Honour ble T . Pemberton Leigh in deliver ing judgment ofthe Judicial Committee ofthe n 'v Privy Council in the case Westerto . Liddell and a A of Horne , s id cross was . used as a symbol Christianity for two or three centuriesbefore the f has i Re ormation , and cont nued ever since to be used s n of as of as an en ig honour, an ornament both build s ings and persons, ecclesia tical and civil, public and t an private , wi hout y relation to superstitious or even s ” to religiou usage . i There were Memor al Crosses, Churchyard or e a Preaching Cross s, M rket and Village Crosses, i Boundary Crosses, Weeping Crosses and Pilgr m one of Crosses . Let us shortly consider each these in

itsorder. or ia r or r : — w Mem l C e . These ere usually erected by 3 a t or and the w yside, or in some ci y , town village, e of f m a es wer varied or and import nce, d igned to commemorate some memorable incident on the spot where it took place : such are the beautiful and justly fa ( een a o oss e mous b Ele n r cr es , originally nine, som sa s y twelve, in number , de igned to mark the places ’ where the funeral procession of the first Edward s for t t be first consort halted rest, execu ed and erec ed

w 1 2 1 1 2 . Of s t een 9 and 94 the e only three remain ,

G rt m . viz eddington , No ha pton and Waltham And latterly doubts have been entertained asto Gedding ton f of the e orming one s ries . Monumental crosses upon stone coffin lids or sculptural slabs in l ow relief or incised lines may properly be included in this as as in class, well memorial crosses churchyards, a good example of which may be found in the fine cross erected in the churchyard at Rammsham in the n the of f sixteenth ce tury to memory Porter, a ormer f lord o the manor . — P r ea ching These were usually erected in h a and am s c urchy rds, were used, as their n e implie , for f the was preaching rom , although village cross f for s f fr e o ten used thi purpose , preaching riars d the e f quently ad ressing p ople there rom . These crosses were often placed near the south or f a to the e of chie entr nce church , suggestiv due pre 4 who were compelled to do penance by the par ish an clergym . Pilg r im Cr on e: were set up on the highways and r as - to the ff s es se ved guide posts di erent mona teri , s and f n oratorie , baptistries, other religious oundatio s, and as ex citement to holy feelings before reaching Of h these places wors ip . t oo Of s The rich traveller, , ten deposited alm at the foot ofthese crosses for the succour of the poor and s fa who f l w distre sed way rer might o lo him . Let us now consider by whom these ancient stone t In if O f crosses were erec ed . this beaut ul county t Dorset, truly described by an old traveller as bo h for rider and for abider one ofthe fairest counties in ” a hav e v the Engl nd, I e only been abl to disco er fragments of one which can have any pretensions of s of n . ee being Saxo times Thi , which has b n much - isfiI ll e w ma over restored , and y describ d in this ork, y

be seen in the churchyard at Todbere . The others for of t f u are , the most part, a ype erected in the o r

teenth and f e . a of f fi teenth c nturies, viz , a c lvary rom two to s - h is a five steps, a ocket stone, into whic le ded or s f w n an octagonal quare sha t , surmounted ith a plai t n or c n La i cross, a niched anopy or tabernacle, upo which would be fixed a Latin cross Of smaller di

m ensions. 6 These cr ossesar e Of the usual churchyard and vil ' a w a s f d l ge type . There ere m rket cro ses at Bland or , n as af e Milto Abb , Sh tesbury and Sherborne, but thes h c ave long sin e disappeared . On reference to the sketch map at the beginning of h u m w e t a os t is vol e, it ill be se n h t the cr ses in this f -d efined county ollow certain well tracks . There is a line of crossesup the Stour Valley from Wimborne to fe r a f m f Sha t sbu y, nother ro Sha tesbury to Milton s to a n f m Abba , and thence Cerne Abb s , and a other ro h cir S erborne to Cerne Abbas, clearly indicating the f f cuit taken by the preaching riars, who went rom abbey to abbey teaching and ministering to the

people . It will also be found in almost every instance ofa a cross being erected in village or churchyard, that or f the manor, a part thereo , originally belonged to s a sm n some mona tic or ecclesi stical body, the pre u ptio being th at these crosses were erected by or at the cost of And w e s such bodies . hen we consider the normou a of e s mount prop rty possessed by these religiou bodies,

th e f C . annual revenues O which are put by Mr . Ran ” e his of at no som , in History England , less than 6 OO O O O at of h £ , S , in present money the time t eir ’ VIII s n e suppression in Henry reign , we cannot wo d r that they found no time nor pains nor labour too 7 ea s Of e f h gr t to be tow on these sacred symbols th ir ait , e en n a His th ir g eral intent bei g, Milner s ys , in his ” of e to tory Winchester, to excit public homage of t to i men the religion Chris crucified , and nspire with a sense ofmorality and piety amidst the ordinar y ” s of fe e d e a . an too d u tran ctions li The r nts tolls, , to of m w f the Abbot as lord the anor, ere o ten collected at these crosses, and doles distributed to the poor f there rom . Thus much for the erection Of our beautiful medie val stone crossesand their uses ; now let us consider the causeswhich led to their mutilation or s can h i de truction . There be little doubt t at the r death was f a a knell tolled at the Re orm tion, and lthough they survived by nearly a century the suppression of the sm aller religious houses by Henry VIII in I 5 36 and I at s so a 5 39, yet thi period great shock was given to the veneration ofthe cross that it wasallowed sa d ff a a and e to t n on su erance only . V lu ble movabl crossesand cr u cifix eswithin the churcheswere first e e th e u or f em en r moved or d stroyed , destr ction de ac t of s f we er tho e without ollo d lat . During the reign of(k een Mary cruel and strenuous effortswere made to t e-establish the Roman Catholic e and es e the the r ligion in England, to r tor cross to place of reverence and honour in which it wasfor 8 ’ f merly held . To this the Martyrs Memorial at Ox ord , of who h erected to the memory those bishops , wit ff for others, su ered death at the stake, at her hands ,

of . the sake the Protestant religion, bears testimony Thismemorial is bu ilt after the model ofthe Q ueen al f of the Eleanor Cross at W tham, rom the designs

. G R G . A late Sir Scott, . . , and was erected by public s 1 8 1 sub cription in the year 4 . too ( een There is ample evidence, , that good k Bess did not desire the destruction of these ou t-door of f for symbols the Christian aith , she ordered the in I 60 cross Cheapside to be restored, and in 5 issued a proclamation against the defacing of monuments ” in churches, which made it illegal to break down or deface ancient monuments erected in chur ches and to of other places the memory the dead . s w of i The cro s , ho ever, as an object superstit ous not r v reverence , could su ive the great change in the of al I 6 religion the nation , and eventu ly, in 43, during the first civil war between Charles I and his Parlia was of w ment , an Ordinance , at the instance Crom ell and the Puritan party who doubtless hoped thereby of ss to eradicate superstition out the land , pa ed by the Lords and Com mons without the authority or of th e for n f sanction King, the removi g and de acing all crosses in or u pon all churches and chapels and 9 C o en lacer w w of other p p , hich ould include each type crossabove enumerated . e As this Ordinanc is extremely interesting, and its execution has had a marked effect upon the features of e set fu so far this country, it is her out in ll as it s he o w t f h . relate to crosses, subject t is ork

Di Lu ae 2 s 1 e n 8 Au g u ti 643. ANO RDI A CE o r THE LORDS AND COMMO S ASSEu ELED I N N N N , PARLIAME T for the u ter em sh n r em and N , t d oli i g , oving , taking away Ofall monu mentsOfSu per stition or Idolatr y ou t Ofall Chu rchesand Chappelsand openplace: within h sK n f a m f t i i gdom o Engl nd and Do inion o Wal es. t Bef r e he I ‘ N m r I t e e 6 . o ov b , 43

Wher eby after reciting that the Lor dsand Commonsin Par ame a the r ser u s s erat o show we l li nt t king into i io con id i n , l pleasing it isto God and cond u ceable to the Blessed Refor ma o Of HisW r sh so mu h esr e h H u sesOf ti n o ip, c d i d by bot o Parl ame ha all m u me sof Su er s or I a r i nt, t t on nt p tition dol t y shou be r em ve and a l she —It wasOr a e er al a ld o d bo i d d in d int i , Tha all Cru x esCrosses or u o all Chu r hesCha als t cifi , , in p n c pp or her a esof u Pra er Chu r h- ardsor ther laces ot pl c p blic y , c y o p to any ofthe said Chu r chesor Chappelsor placesO fpu blic Pra er e on or in an o en la ce—Sh u efore the y b l ging , y p p o ld b " sa I da of N em er I 6 be ta e awa and eface id y ov b 43 k n y d d, and none of the like ther eafter per mitted in or u pon any

su ch Chu r ch Chappel or other place asafor esaid . And it was fu r ther orda e ha all and e er su h r em val ta in d, t t v y c o , king I O away and defacing su ch Cr u cifix esand cr ossesasaforesaid shou ld be done by and at the ex pense of the Chu r chwar den or Chu r chward ensOf ever y su ch parish for the time being respectively and in case ofdefau lt for the space of 2 I days 't after the said I day of November I 643 u nder a penal ty se of h r f he sa ar sh an if of 03. to the u t e o t P d 4 poo id i , 't efau shou be ma e after the I da of De em er I 6 d lt ld d y c b 43, Then one Ju stice of the Peace for the Cou nty or Town Where su ch efau shou be ma e shou u o I forma o d lt ld d , ld p n n ti n Cau se or ro r e the rem s be r for me at the 8zc. p cu p ise to pe d cos and har esof su h ers or er s sma efau t c g c p on p on king d lt, or ofthe InhabitantsOf every su ch par ish asafor esaid who r ha h were thereby appointed to bear the same. P ovided t t t is Or dinance or anything ther ein contained shall not ex tend to an ma e tu r e or oa of ar mes asse S e or y i g , pic , c t in gl , ton , her w s an hu r h C r b i set u or r e & . o u l c lace a e ot i , in y c c p p p g v n o for a mo u ment of an r e or o ema or nly n y king , p inc n bl n other dead per son which hath not been commonly repu ted or ta e for a sa k n int.

U nder this exception three at least ofthe beautiful e crosses set up as a memorial to Que n Eleanor, and to e n s other monuments the dead , have b e pre erved to s us, and it may be rea onable to conjecture that the w Of elegant cross at Stalbridge, hich is the only one f w that type le t intact in this county, o es its pre to m was servation this proviso, but to whose emory it

erected I have been unable to ascertain . It isneedless to say that this order wascarried out I I the r f with all Pu itan bigotry and ury . Local Com mitteeswere formed in the various co u nties for the purpose ofseeing that the orders of Parliament were f strictly and rigorously en orced, the result being that all the fine crosses which had been the pride and or nam ent ofou r s n towns, churchyard and village gree s ef e f were ruthlessly destroyed or d ac d, leaving uture generations to lam ent the destruction Ofthese memo Of of f f rials the religion our ore athers in bygone days. For two centuries or more the remains of the old stone crosses of this country rem ained as this Ordi f x so far of nance le t them, e cept as the ravages time and the requirements of the builder and r oadmaker went towards completing the work ofdestruction the

Puritans had commenced, and it is only within the of r a s last quarter a centu y that ntiquarie , architects and others have begun to take an interest in their now h as preservation and restoration , not , owever, of of objects superstitious reverence, but as relics s m pa t ages , and emorials indicating the customs , manners and condition of the arts amongst ou r ah s” cestor . To those who would undertake the restoration or r e- of of or erection these monuments antiquity, em ” bl emsof f n Christian aith, as the Right Ho ourable w T . Pemberton Leigh calls them, I would say, ith 1 2

BATCOMBE DOWN

” THE “ CROSS-AND-HAND STONE

HIS is an exceedingly interesting and uniqu e of u on relic antiq ity . It stands a lonely table a e of bov the Vale Blackmore, between High ft -h n Of Stoy and Bubb Down Hills, on the le a d side f the road leading rom Evershot Station , over Bat -G an Mintem e combe Down , to Dogberry ate d Magna, about a hundred yards to the east of the turning to — s s U . m s p Cerne and Cerne Abba Thi position co mand , s f in clear weather, view that extend rom the English

to the Bristol Channel . The Of i sh f stone consists a round smooth taper ng a t, w sof u which , together ith the abacu the m tilated i f cap tal at the top , measures three eet eight inches in f m u -f sat height ro the gro nd, it girths thirty our inche the -two t base, thirty inches in the middle, and twen y eight inches immediately under the roll m oulding I 4 THE CROSS-AND -HAND STONE BATCOMBE DOWN

beneath the capital ; the moulding itself measuring one and a quarter inch deep . There is a similar moulding on the south side, about four inchesfrom s f on the the ground line ; this lo es itsel north side, where the stone is somewhat flattened several inches f e i t one rom the bas , indicat ng hat it might, at time , ee S be have b n attached to some building . The pace tween the upper and the lower moulding measures - thirty two inches . In the accompanying plate the north side of the w so stone only is sho n, that the lower moulding is not seen . The capital shows some kind of carving on the to e south side , said represent a hand, but it has be n a w no r v much dam ged on the north side, here ca ing appears . There is a government bench mark at the of s bottom the south ide . The pillar is of a hard spar-like stone resembling e a t marbl or gray gr nite, being much rubbed by cat le at and w the upper part , covered ith moss and lichen w has of belo ; it been said to be Purbeck marble, but s f thi seems doubt ul .

The origin of the stone can be only conjecture . It hasstood in itspresent position from time im and to memorial, numerous local traditions as its

origin are preserved . I S It possibly once formed the upper part ofthe taper f of a - e ing sha t a cross surmounted by ball shap d abacus, w a upon hich wasmounted canopy or cross. Its age x ffi if the is e tremely di cult to determine, but above e f - sugg stion be correct, it would be late ourteenth cen r - tu y work . The roll mouldings and the ball shaped to be abacus would point this ; or it may Roman , having features in common with the pillars found amongst the remains ofthe Roman temple on Jordan Hill near a f the m ai , Weymouth , and to th t ound in re ns of the at Fifehead and Roman villa Neville, set up by Major Dugdale in the grounds Of the Manor w House . The nature ofthe stone or marble from hich w if w f . it is orked, imported , ould avour this view “ ’ . Tessof D U r ber vill es Mr Thomas Hardy , in the , f w of t gives the ollo ing description his stone pillar, f wh of rom ich he says the spot, the scene a miracle, ” or its of - murder, or both , took name Cross and ” Hand .

A sra e r u e m ith fr m a sra u m u ow an t ng d onol , o t t nkn n in y

o a u ar r on wh ch wasrou h car e a hu man ha . l c l q y, i g ly v d nd

’ And in Tesss later he makes the rustic, reply to was inquiries as to whether it a cross , say

’ ’ Cross—no twer a ross! Tisa th n of -ome ; not c i g ill n, ss Mi . It waspu t u p in wu ld timesby the relationsofa mal e I 6

’ Ere Cer nel s e ease her ea ou there wel a r ies Abb y c d b t d t p t, (In later life su b-pr ior Ofthe ro herhoo there Whose nesare now are b t d , bo b l In the field that wasCer ne choir) .

O ne night in hiscell at the foot Ofyon dell The priest hear d a fr equ ent cry Go fa her haste to the cot on the wase , t , in t , A s ” nd hrive a man waiting to die.

Sa the r es a shou to the cal er W hou id p i t in t l it t, The h how sthe tree- ru sbow nig t l , t nk ; O ne ma ar e da trac so r u e a wa y b ly by y k gg d y, And ean I then do so now!

N0 fu r her wor fr om the ar washear t d d k d, And the pr iest moved never a limb ; And he slept and dr eamed ; till a Visage seemed To fr fr m a m own o He ven at hi .

I a swea he ar se and the sor m shr eke shr l n t o ; t i d i l, And smote asin savag e joy Wh e H h-S o trees wan e to Bu -Dow H il ig t y t g d bb n ill, Bu - - And bb Down to Hig h Stoy.

here seeme not a ho th n ha T d ly i g in il, Nor sha e of h or love p lig t , Fr om the Abbey nor th ofBlackmor e Vale To the su h h Abbey o t t er eof. I S Yet he lo e thence hrou h the ar mme se p dd d t g d k i n , w th man a su m n str e And i y t bli g id , Throu gh copse and briar climbed nigh and nigher ’ To th si e cot and the sick man s de.

When he wou ld have u nslung the vesselsu phu ng To hisar m the see ase in t p c nt, He made lou d moan : the Pyx wasg one Ofthe B es S r e l sed ac am nt.

Then in dolorou sdread he beat hishead NO ear thly pr ize or pelf ’ Isthe th I ve os em es osse ing l t in t p t t d, Bu t the Body ofChrist Himself

He th u h ofthe V sa e his r eam revea e o g t i g d l d, u r e owar swhe e he ame And t n d t d nc c , Han s ro the rou al o f -trac and e d g ping g nd ng oot k fi ld, f h e And head in a heat O sam .

her e on the h l e w x l and vi Till i l, b t i t vi l ll, He noted a Clear str aight ray S r e h ow from the sk to a so har t tc ing d n y p t d by, h h f Which shone wit t e light o day.

And gathered arou nd the illu mined g rou nd Wer e comm eassand rar e on b t , All eel at a e and a se rofo kn ing g z , in p u p und n h Atte t on an Object t ere. 19 ’ ’ wasthe P x u harme mid the rc n r ws T y , n d ci li g o ’ OfB ac m r e sha r hro l k o i y t ng , Wher of er e ox e Shee and oes e W n, p, d , And haresfrom the brakesamong ;

a er s ra and es ee And b dg g y, coni k n, And su r r e softhe r ee q i l t , And many a member seldom seen ’ a sfam OfNtu re ily.

The irefu l Windsthat scour ed and swept

hr u h e m and e . T o g coppic , clu p, d ll Within that holy circle sl ept ’ h r m s l Calm asin e it ce l .

Then the pr iest bent likewise to the sod And ha e the L r ofLo e t nk d o d v , esse Mar Mo her ofGod And bl d y, t , l h s And al t e Saint above.

u r srai h w h his r e essfr e h And t ning t g t it p ic l ig t, He r eache the one d dying , Whose passing spr ite had been stayed for the r ite W h u h h ssha it o t w ic bli th none.

whe r a e the r es won a e And n by g c p i t pl c , ser e the e we And v d Abb y ll, He r ear ed thisstone to mar k Wher e shone ha m h m r T t idnig t i acle.

isf a a The plate rom photogr ph by Mr . Clive

Holl and .

20

ROBINSONMEMORIAL BEAMINSTER

s mentioned in the third edition . The ba e is said to e e n n has have xist d within livi g memory , but eve this now a i tot lly d sappeared . O n the site of the cross now stands a handsome e n V c n o memorial , r ce tly erected by Mr. in e t Robins n of t o z Parnham, his sister, Eli abeth Julia Robinson . of s in It is Ham Hill stone, quare plan with a h f t sse r n central s a t, and but re d piers su mou ted by n a pin acles at the ngles. The central shaft with its surmounting pinnacle s f n measure twenty eet in height, and the baseme t f sixteen eet in width . In design it follows somewhat the market cross at is Cheddar, without the embattled parapet, and square of instead hexagonal . - It has a stone tile roof. is The plate, which contributed by Mr . Robinson ,

a Mr . f R . is rom a photogr ph by . Hine

2 2 BLANDFORD FORUM

HE ancient market town ofBlandford formerly i possessed tsmarket cross . Hutchins says it stood in the centre of the open w of space at the est end the market place, and there w butter and cheese ere sold . In an Inventorie ofthe Implements belonging to the Corporation ofthe Towne maid mention is of n made certai scales, which the cheese was ” r e r weighed with at tlze C oc . And this old name fo w the spot still lingers in the to n . ssor of to The cro , what then remained it, seems have been removed about the time of the great fire m f r sa o 1 1 . ew here in 7 3 So e yea g , pending some excavations which were being made in the market of the square, near the site cross, some worked stoneswere discovered which are said to have origin f of old s ally ormed part the market cro s. 23 These may now be seen piled together in a small inclosure near the Rectory . Amongst them are some moulded plinth stones Hill m a f Of base (Ham ), which y have ormed part the . Also a stone with the lower parts oftwo figures carved w to r upon it . These ould appear represent St . Ma y and f of and St . John, may have ormed a part the of the an one Of canopied head cross, st ding in the f niches on either side o the Holy Rood. A similar representation may be seen on the east of ofthe side the canopied head cross, at Wedmore,

Somerset .

CHURCHYARD CROSS BRADFORD ABBAS s f su fiicient tanding in a corbel , much de aced , but is l eft of the clothing to favour the conjecture that it b e of he a t . may that St . John B ptist On the east f f a of ace a em le canopied figure, possibly that the to is d Virgin Mary , whom the church de icated, is e s e r ar e r pre ent d , and on the no th and south sides indications ofcrocketing and of the fixings of other

figures . f m r w fee The sha t is leaded into the o tise, hich is fi t n e inch s square . e f of The sock t, which is cut rom one solid block set a f f f stone, up on deep moulded plinth our eet our e a a a e s a inch s squ re , is oct gon l on its upp r bed , qu red f f w and by our angle sha ts, ith caps bases, on the tops of which m ay b e seen the iron dowelsby which e e fs the figur s or ornam nts were fixed to the sha t . On four sides ofthe socket ar e sculptured panels ; on the west side a quatrefoil with a figure (possibly an ang el) in the centre . O s sd efo w n the ea t i e , a quatr il ith a rose in the and s centre, and on the north south side are quatre f w a s oils ith bl nk shield in their centres .

It has a good moulded weather drip . The w i and e basement, hich soctagonal , measur s f fe on ea f e f our et ch ac , and one oot nine inches in has dee w and height, a p projecting eather drip, a 2 6 ' - fa ofi . I o good set t is ced with solid worked st ne, m w ou t of a but is uch orn and rep ir . w on e The step, hich stands the bas ment and sup s port the socket, is also octagonal, measuring thirty on a f and is inches e ch ace , twenty inches deep ; it has a w and a good moulded we ther drip , ith a fillet, a deep

plinth . f This cross, which must have ormed a very beauti fu l and e isof striking obj ct, the same type as those s at Stalbridge and Rampisham , and was doubtles a th e f erected about the same d te, viz . in fi teenth f its s -we century . Judging rom po ition to the north st of was r a a the church , it p obably pre ching cross, and

. G f the Vicar, the Rev ordon Wickham , in orms me that s for f a it is still u ed preaching rom at Rog tion services . a isf a The pl te rom a photograph t ken by the Vicar. THE VILLAGE C ROSS

The following extract is from the second edition of s 1 8I Hutchins, publi hed 5 .

Till Within a few year san arched stone bu ilding called the Cr ss f rm of the u at Sher u r e bu t of o (in o cond it bo n , sma er me s s soo the e r e of the I ll di n ion ) t d in c nt villag e. t was a e w the erseer the r ea r e re ofma t k n do n by ov , to g t g t ny ofhis e h u r sw h u an a a e the sh v a ar . n ig bo , it o t y d nt g to p i

no of f There is trace this cross now le t . 27 BRIDPORT

HEstone represented on the plate opposite stands outside the western wall of the south porch of s on the parish church , which is ituate the west side of h and to Sout Street, is dedicated Saint Mary . It is worked in one solid block of hard coarse f f amdon e grained reestone rom H Hill, and measur s four feet nine inches in height from the apex ofthe th f angle at e top to th e plinth o the base . It is three f th e h f six eet in width at upper part, and t ree eet The it is inches at the base . stone upon which set up measures fifteen inches in thickness . There is a deep canopied niche in the centre which might f th e ormerly have held Holy Rood , or the Blessed ar for Virgin , or it might have been a reliqu y the of reception some holy relic . That it was strongly guarded may be gathered from the dowel holes at w r the sides, into which the iron bars inclosing it e e leaded . e isa so On ither side canopied and niched figure, 2 8 SAINT ANDREW ’S CROSS BRIDPORT

The above isthe history of the stone asrecorded on its of f fa base, in support which the ollowing cts m a of r y be noted . The Chapel St . Andrew appea s to b the 1 60 I a o have een built about year 3 . t stood, cc rd u tchins ing to H (first edition , at the cross roads f of e s s ormed by the meeting the thr e principal treet , ’ u s East , West, and So th Streets, and in Hutchin s time was for r a used various secula purposes, p rt as a Sessions w wasa f House , over hich ree school , part as a gaol for wasin I low criminals, and part ruins . t had a of tower, tiled . Part the chancel remained, and served as a clock tower . In 17 85 the whole ofthese buildings were taken and es s of down , the pr ent commodiou block Muni e cipal Buildings rected . of h a wh The stone, the subject t is p per, ich at the f of a was time ormed part the ch pel, removed and th e of w erected in garden the present Rectory , here en of it wasstanding during the incumb cy the Rev . f 1 82 18 1 Robert Broadley, M . A Rector rom 9 to 5 , f a w . . o hose grandson , Mr A . M Broadley, Br dpole,

Bar te t M. A . R G . l o . the joint author with the Rev . , ” of h a af a f The t ree Dorset C ptains at Tr alg r, in orms a w l and a the writer th t he el remembers the stone , th t at that time the small Latin cross above described r no f 1 88 wasr to fo med part o it . In 3 it emoved 30 ’ t - e St . Mary s Churchyard and e erected in itspresnt o i p sit on . e i f r W a L . s a M . The plat rom photogr ph by .

Stephens . CATTISTOCK

r of HE uppe portion only an ancient cross, the a off w rms having been broken , ornamented ith off t a rude sculpture oliage interlaced , and geome ric l a a p tterns, may be seen in the church, fixed in recess of r on the north side the sanctua y . f e This stone, together with other curious ragm nts, was discovered in the masonry of the walls of the ld 1 o church during the work of rebuilding in 85 7 . Hutchins says they may be the remains of head

sof r . 1 e a . stone the Saxon (third edition , vol iv, p There isa lar ge slab of Purbeck marble with an i e cr oss w the ncis d upon it, built into the all in south e s t f a . wa 1 8 i s isl It discovered in 5 7 , lying on ace s w the Chantm ar le e . some inche belo soil, in the aisl I e a wasth e t is v ry ancient , and prob bly upper part or lid ofa stone coffin which contained the body of

one of the early Rectors or founders of the church . See Proceedings ofthe Dorset Natural History and ” a a vol x x Antiqu ri n Field Club, . iii , p . lvi . 32

CROSS AT CERNE ABBAS ofwhich isfitted into the seventeen inch square m or se ofth w e e and e . ti sock t, run ith l ad On the top of this shaft is a cavity into which the dowel for fixing the upper part of th e shaft was e e a - e e l ad d . There is deep drill hol on th e ast side of the s Th h e isof a a a e- a ocket . e w ol h rd co rs gr ined n e a f red sa dston , prob bly rom Hamdon Hill . It isexceedingly doubtful ifthese remains stand in n their original positio . Crosses of this type usually h ad a calvary of two e e ise en a or thr e steps with a basem nt . It vid t th t e e e s now ex as a es a e ee th s st p do not ist , gr v h v b n dug e the e and a e of em has almost clos to sock t , no tr c th ee The s i set on a f a b n discovered . ocket s up ound tion

of s w a e . ma onry , ith massiv plinth a e of w e n s Ham Qu ntiti s ork d sto es , mo tly Hill , ar e in a n the cont u lly bei g dug up in burial ground, e e at one e sf e a ofthe e th s , tim , doubtle s orm d p rt Abb y buildings . It iscuriousth at a town of such importance as e e a s a e ee the e a C rn Abb s mu t h v b n during middl ges, s a e e e its a e ss the hould not h v poss ss d m rk t cro , but writer hasbeen unable to find any tradition ofitsever h h ad o h the e a nsa e de avi ng ne . Mig t not r m i bov scribed originally have form ed part ofthe mar ket cross! The a isf a a is a e pl te rom photogr ph by M s Hild Pop . 34

CHURCHYARD CROSS C HESELBO RNE CHESELBO RNE

w s in the on the HE cross hich tands churchyard, -e s e of e north ast id the north porch , must hav been an exceedingly handsome type ofan early four - teenth century preaching cross . sofa a a oftwo e e It consist c lv ry unusually de p st ps , the a of a e n e e f . a sock t , and rem ins a t p ri g squar sha t The of af w set a a w stump the sh t, hich is di gon lly ith and w t ea ea sf f e h e the socket run i h l d, m sure our e t t r e e and is ee a e the inch s in height, thirt n inches squ r at se a e a ten es the w e e ba , t p ring to bout inch at top h r ff e isa ea ofthe f a es broken o . Ther roll at ch our ngl e e a sa ee fee int rrupt d , by horizont l moulding bout thr t e e isa m e of a from th bas . It onolith h wn out solid of s e The e of the s e block Ham Hill ton . sock t is am e as e e e fee a e stone, v ry m siv , m asuring thre t squ r on e bed ee s ee isset on a its upp r , by sixt n inche d p , and t f a a f n e e is plin h our and h l i ch s d ep , it boldly broached at e e a e w the angl s, in ord r to bring it squ r ith the a se ofthe af diagon l tting sh t . 35 e w w t -f The basement st p, hich is t en y our inches and f w fac deep fi teen inches in idth on its upper e , has a deep projecting moulded drip, and a bold plinth . of The bench and plinth are Ham Hill stone, the centre part ofthe step being made up ofsome local e e w t n lim stone . The second st p is t en y i ches deep e w w and thirte n inches ide, and has a good eather ’ -ofi of drip and set , both Ham Hill stone, the centre w stones being local . The cross has been allo ed to f e w w the all into decay, being ov rgro n ith ivy, roots ofwhich have forced themselvesbetween the joints f a a e o . a the m sonry, h stening its d struction On reg rd ing this fine old relic of a past ag e one can but be reminded ofthe lines from

THE IVY BOWER

I stood beneath the castle wall And mar ked the ivy-bower ha fr a r a its u u m m T t, g nt in A t n bloo , Wr ea hed r u the m u er wer t o nd o ld ing to .

The plant insinu atesitsr oots re the r u e wa l To nd in d l , et w h c ose and tr eacher u s ras And y , it l o g p, u se sa hie i S p nd w l tsfall . 36

CHILDE OKEFORD

N the open Space at the cross roads in the centre of a f r e the now the vill ge, o m rly village green , “ ” w as isa of e kno n The Cross , huge block gre n e w e e its e bed sandston , hich m asur s in upp r thirty f e and is x e e e our inches squar , si t en inch s de p . This es ee w e stone do not appear to have b n orked as a sock t, there being no sign ofa mortise or cavity ofany kind for a af the a a n e fixing sh t , and usu l bro chi g is abs nt . There istherefore no ground for supposing that it ever formed the socket or other part of the ancient village cross which might formerly have stood upon a - e s of thissite . The b sin lik depre sion in the top the - stone might have been a dole hole . e is a for w am e the Th re a tr dition , hich I indebt d to h he s e w t e . t as Rector, Rev Canon Brymer, that ton used some ninety years since as a stand on which one M ary Saint was whipped for continually stealing hurdles. 38

COMPTON ABBAS

C H U RC HYARD cross of which the base n two the e e me t, steps, sock t, and eight en inches of a f ar e ef ee the Old the origin l sha t l t, may be s n in a s ea the we churchy rd at East Compton . It tands n r to r ofthe w was ef w e the old church , hich l t standing h n new was 1 868 a e conveni church built in , on mor e the a ent site at West Compton, clos to m in road f f f rom Bland ord to Sha tesbury . e e a w of Thes r m ins, hich are Ham Hill stone, are e a i a e n - w in a v ry dil p d t d co dition, over run ith ivy

and e w and e . cov red ith moss lich n The basement, which isseven feet six inch es square and one foot ten ee hasa w and a set-Off at inches d p , bold eather drip, e The se se isfive fee the ground lin . cond t p t ten e s and f een es ee w inch s quare ourt inch d p , ith no drip e -off or st . The s e w isa of s e e ock t, hich solid block ton , nin ee n es a e e e e is t n i ch squ r by nin t en inch s high, raised 39 a sl e on p ay d plinth , seven inches deep and surmounted the of f e and with stump a sha t ighteen inches high , s n twelve inches square at the ba e, mortised i to the The of fa e isi socket with lead . top this r gm nt ron bou nd to prevent splitting. f e The work is probably early ourteenth c ntury . The manor wasformerly held under the Abbey of f s e th e of Sha te bury , the Abbess b ing patron the living, but at the Dissolution (36 Henry VIII) it wasgranted with the advowson to Sir Thomas Arundel .

40

VILLAGE CROSS CORFE CASTLE CORFE CASTLE

HAT this highly interesting and most ancient of market towns, though now a mere village, formerly possessed its fine old fourteenth-century market cross, there is ample evidence . By an inquisi tion taken at Corfe Castle on Monday nex t after the f l h o the . ot Feast St . Scholastica Virgin (Feb ) , 4 a 1 8I ofthe f Rich rd II , 3 , by order King, it was ound,

s inter alia : by a jury duly ummoned ,

That the whole Isle ofPu r beck isa war r en ofou r lord the K and er a sto hisCase ofCorfe. ing , p t in tl That no merchant bu ying a fish Within the war ren ou ght ta e ou t of the war r e or ar r awa u n esshe sha to k it n c y it y, l ll ha e r s a e for sa e at the Cr osso Cor e e a the v fi t pl c d it l f f, d l ying f for an r f sale o it hou o the day .

f C u stomesof And urther, under Certaine the ” w of rf f To n Co e, extracted rom a book at Kingston 4 1 G Lac w former b o e to Sir is y , hich ly el ng d Chr topher to ear s Hat n, it app that

h r f h iz ll s is r Where t e wo o t e Charter v . u u catao by d , n p ” emens sces seeme h hat no fiisbe ta er sbe ou e to pi , it t t k b nd itche the r fiishe at the Cor e Cr ossbu t u er sonl and p i f , b y y, the dishe takersbe at liber tye to ear ry at their pleasu r e without lett ; yet it appeareth by the Co u r t Roll esthat as well the taker sasthe bu yershave been amer ced for that d fa fr om t t m e u me o e. See Hu tch s h r e t o lt i ti ( in , t i d di i n,

ol . . v i, pp 497

’ i Tr eswell s Aga n , according to a representation in of f l 1 86 was map Cor e pub ished in 5 , there at that or and s time a pill y stock in the market place, near to n of and ss the the entra ce the castle , doubtle near ss h sofdisci Cro , in which position t ese instrument p line were usually placed ; so that there can be little doubt that a Mar ket Cr ossexisted in Corfe at the dates a i a bove ment oned, and that it stood in the m rket a f ofthe old pl ce in ront Town Hall . The steps and base of a Cross still remained in the the s market square until quite recently, and on mall platform to which they led the forms and ceremonies incident to. the election of Members of Parliament for o f i s . u tch n the Bor ugh ormerly took place (H , third e dition , vol . i , p . In 1897 the existing cross was erected on the base 42 ofthe old the sx e one , to commemorate i tieth y ar ” ofthe of ( ee V the de reign m n ictoria , cost being f a r yed by public subscription . The and af w of a e pedestal sh t , hich are Swan ge ston s ar e new urmounted by a modern Latin cross , quite , the old base steps being reset and used as a calvary to the n ew cross . “ The ha a d e old pump with a c racter, so graphic lly “ Mr scribed by . C . E . Robinson in his Royal Warren ” the of or Picturesque Rambles in Isle Purbeck, 1 8 and e l et u s . 1 was pp 9 , repaired and r placed, and hO e has s p that the suction been set right, and give the Comely Damsel wh o tried so hard to coax it f h to give out its silvery stream no urt er trouble . CORFE MULLEN

e ew h EAR a venerabl y tree in the c urchyard, of two s to the west the church , are mas ive the of f - square steps, and socket a late ourteenth cen tury cross . The l its socket is octagona in upper bed, brought to a square at itsbase by bold convex broaches at the angles . A mortise nine and a hal f inches by six inches h th e for (nort and south) , is sunk in top the insertion he one e ofa shaft . T socket measures foot thre inches in height by one foot two inches square at the base ; the second step measures three feet nine inchessquare h and th e of by twelve inc es deep, is, like socket, a wh e a a hard it limestone, prob bly Portl nd or Purbeck . of The basement step is plain construction , without of w of any drip or moulding, a yello sandstone the h r and be the Ham Hill c a acter, may older than second step and socket ; it is five feet six inches square and 44

f e s one oot d ep , and appears to be considerably unk he e of in t ground . The whol is in a fair state ese a pr rv tion . The following ex tract from the will of Thomas h e s th l oth . 166 2 the a e P illipps, dated Oct , , in Ch riti

of 1 8 s . Dorset, 39, hould be interesting

The esa r after r e n tha he had e er e the t t to , citi g t d liv d into ha sof h R ves 00 r e e hisw ha ha nd Jo n y £5 , di ct d by ill t t t t su m and the er es her e f sh u be s se ofas here , int t t o , o ld di po d t f f er er f a er me e . asto 10 o the es h e to t ntion d, viz £ int t t o the Cu ra e of C rfe M u e for the me e r ovided t o ll n ti b ing , p that u nlessthe Vicar ofStu r minster Marshall shou l d make a su ffi e t al wa e su h Cu ra e ear o er and a ove ci n lo nc to c t y ly, v b wha was her e e the sa 10 sh u be a t t by giv n, id £ o ld not p id, it not being hisintention that by r eason of su ch gift the V ar sh u l esse the sa ar of su h Cu ra e and as to ic o d l n l y c t , 10 more of su h er es he ave the same to the u se of £ c int t, g 10 or h r e of the ar sh of Cor fe Mu e to be ai po c ild n p i ll n, p d

to hem asf ws: . 1 3. d . to each h l ear to bu t ollo viz 7 4 c i d y ly, y

r ea and heese e er Su a the ear 2d . r ea b d c on v y nd y in y , in b d and 2d in cheese to each at the Gr eat Stone called tire ” 1 Cross the Chu r h ar ofCor fe Mu le afer the mor , in c y d l n, t n in ser an sr m 1 e d e and 5 . d . be a to the er g vic on, 3 4 to p id p son a o e to bu and sr u e the same and asto pp int d y di t ib t ,

d . r es u e ofthe sa 10 ha shou be a ou t 4 id id £ , t t it ld l id in

Thiswou ld indicate that the shaft and crosshad been removed ’ reviou sto the date ofT omasPhilli sswill robabl in 16 u nder p h pp , p y 43, he dinance o arliament on t al t O r fP tha beh f. 45 eefat Chr stmas ear be sr u e the sai o r b i , y ly, to di t ib t d to d p o h r e at the lace a oresaid and as to 10 r es u e c ild n, p f , £ id of su h ter es owar s h a ar el n and c in t t d clot ing , pp li g , binding a r e t es sch r h r e of the sa ar sh asthe pp n ic , u poo c ild n id p i c sh h hu rchwar e s et . ou t . c d n , , ld ink fit

T h W he of t e . R . late Vicar parish, the Rev . Pl u m tr e f the w e h p , in ormed rit r that t is Charity has been continu ed to be administered during hisincu m benc y . FIFEHEAD MAG DALEN

BOU T five yar ds to the south of the church porch isthe socket ofwhat was probably once the a s and f i vill ge cro s , , judging rom its dimens ons, the cross itself must have been one of considerable s e iz and importance . of su fifteenth- f It is the u al century type , cut rom one h e ofHa Hill s e w - ug block m ton . It is t enty one - at inch esdeep and thirty two inches square the base . Its e is a t upp r bed oct gonal , measuring thir een inches fa of u on each ce its octagon , and it is b ttressed by

e s a e an l e s fs e the . d eply cut qu r g ha t , bev lled at tops The w s e as . stone di cover d by Mr Doran Webb, a of s r h rchitect Sali bu y , when surveying the churc i h w its a w t a vie to restor tion . It wasfound buried the s f w d b set in oil ace down ar s, but has since een h the rig t way up , and a flat stone cemented over the m s th orti e to prevent e water settling in it . s - e of This ocket stone, which is in a good stat pre 47 serv ti n isthe li of the r i nal cr oss et a o , only re c o gi y

In the church are two ancient stone Cred ence a s i a d the nesnow t ble , wh ch are s i to be only o l remaining in the county . Those in Shil ingstone e n its e i in Church having b e removed at r storat on,

1 0 . oet 9 3 (See p , page

GUSSAGE ALL SAINTS

H ERE wasformerly an ancient crossin this s s village . It tood at the cross road just outside the churchyard . Rev ar f sthe w The . A . S . B . Freer, Vic , in orm riter “ s” that the site is still known as The Cro s , and is an a never called by y other name by the vill gers . has The cross long since disappeared . m its of The anor, under ancient denomination G f the w ussage Regis, ormerly belonged to Cro n . r I to Imber tu s who King Hen y II granted it Pogeys , r e a and in his tu n granted it to th e Abb y ofT rent . it was e s of h ld by the Abbe s at the time the Dissolution , w e was e t i c . h n it demised to John , Lord Russ l ( ) o e The Priory fSt . Julian at Southampton also h ld s 1 2 lands in this pari h in 93. G SSA E ST ICHAEL U G . M

HE remainsof a fifteenth-century village cross of the ordinary type . It is situate at what is w ” kno n as The Cross, near the church and the principal approaches to the village from Crichel on one G s G the side, and ussage All Saint , St . iles, and h Wimborne Minster on the ot er. Where it now stands was doubtless formerly the of he h- of centre the village green , t sout east side has f a of which been enclosed , and now orms p rt the of c adjoining meadow . What remains this ancient ross will now be found close to the bank of the southern n bou dary hedge at The Cross . It consists ofthe base or socket-stone ofa fifteenth C s - s b f n entury cro s, twenty six inches quare y ourtee of r e r inches deep, Melbury or Tisbu y ston , and whe e not worn away shows bold chamfering at itsupper e dge. rml a n o the s k t and set s are wih Fi y le ded i t oc e , qu t 5 1 s of s af e en the ba e, is the stump a h t , s v inches square by eleven hig h . s w sd asthe The remain are much orn , being u e , ” -s f as . Rector in orms me , an upping tone e of n s In the church , at the ast end the orth ai le , set up over the Old Chapel ar ch is a sm all fourteenth century cross which wasdiscovered in excavating for

s 1 8 . the new ve try , built in 95 The isof s t and wasf cross plain con truc ion , ound in l on of old s coffin a vau t, laid the top an tone its es the e slab , and placed in pr ent position by R ctor, r the H . I . W ight .

5 2

It wasonly through the courtesy of the venerable Re . D w v . w Rector, the H . Sa yer, that the riter was enabled to discover the whereaboutsofthese interest e e ing r lics . They appear to hav been entirely lost f ei o b n sand . sight , g covered up with nettle rubbish

5 4 IWE RNE COURTNEY

Alia sSHROTON

T the crossroadsin the villag e street known as Shroton C ross isthe base-stone or socket ofw asf e e C s isofH hat w orm rly the Villag ro s . It am a w w Hill stone , very m ssive, but much orn , ith indi sof x a cation conve broaches at the ngles. e m e w w the m 01 Ther is a ortis in hich , ithin me ory

the n s the s of a s f was . older inhabita t , tump ha t fixed Thisis said to have been removed about fifty years a o s no of now a . g , trace it rem in

$5 LANGTO N HERRING

T the junction ofthe road from Weymouth to m w f m n a Portesha ith that ro La gton, bout a a e of f e ar e th e em of qu rt r a mile rom the villag , r ains a fine Old Latin crosshewn out of a solid block of a wa s e Portl nd or Ridg y tone, firmly embedd d in the g round to the ex tent of one foot seven inches (as e the a e a h asc rtained by l t Major Sp rks) , but wit out e f o h f sock t or steps . Judg ing rom the b ld c am ered e es of s f a m dg both the ha t and the r s, and the design of the w w be s ork, it ould probably con idered early f r ourteenth centu y . Th e ofthe shas ee off top or head cros b n broken , a s a the h a e ee m e and the rm , particul rly rig t , h v b n so w the w ism wea e -w hat damaged , and hole uch th r orn and covered with moss and lichen which adds much e a a to its venerabl appe r nce . There is no lettering or ornament ofany kind upon t e h stone . 5 6

LEIG H IN YETMINSTER

T the junction of the roadsleading to Yet e and h O S oo minst r C etnole, pposite the ch l set e of as is House , up on ti rs rough modern m onry, o of f - w the s cket a ourteenth century cross, in hich there still remainsabout two inches of the base of the ancient shaft (fifteen inches square) which appears to have been sawn of! l evel at that distance above the is al w a of socket . This set diagon ly ith the square b se w s wh . the socket, into ich it is run ith lead The ocket, its bed w e which is octagonal in upper , ith bold mould d r at se edges, is brought to a squa e the ba by high convex broaches which ar e much worn away by m The e isa children climbing over the . ston solid of - h e s block Ham Hill , thirty t re inches quare at the

- we i e . e ar e no base, and t nty three nch s deep Ther a of e saf steps or calv ry . To the stump the anci nt h t isfi a e m r of xed a t p ring onolith , very curiously ca ved , - f m a hard coarse grained stone , possibly ro Hamdon 5 8 VILLAGE CRO SS LEIGH INYETMINSTER

' Hill but of a texture very difi er ent from that of the o f - s cket, five eet high and probably thirteenth century work . U pon this again is fixed a Latin cross of s modern date, with a olid square base some inches s w thick . This curiou erection ould appear to be composed of stones of three distinct periods : ( 1) the f 2 f base or socket ourteenth century ; ( ) the sha t, thir teenth ss w century ; and (3) the Latin cro , hich is of is comparatively modern date, and said to have been placed in itspresent position when the cross was

- r e now . erected , as it stands, by the Rev Smith , wh w s o a . curate in charge under the Rev Hope, the first Vicar ofLeigh after its separation from Yet

1 8 The . . . . minster in the year 47 . Rev C W H Dicker, of i has Vicar Piddletrenth de, recently made a very f w of w now care ul dra ing this monument, hich is in of L s the possession the Rev . T . . Jenkin , Vicar, and was z of reproduced in the Leigh Maga ine April , 1 0 f w of 9 5 , together with the ollo ing description the f w am sha t, hich , as I not in a position to question, I in ex tenr o quote .

u asfar asm ex er e e es I is Thisshaft isu niq e y p i nc go . t r h ar e hree s esw h eano w r at the ic ly c v d on t id , it py o k top, Th su r su ma ofthe f u r ee h e u r . e u res now p e bly o t nt c nt y c lpt , s er a eface a ear ha e o a e r e r ese at s con id bly d d, pp to v c nt in d p nt ion

of the sou h s e S . Chr s her ear r in the Chr s (on t id ) t i top y g i t, 5 9 and h s s I t e ea s e S M hae a the Dra o . (on t id ) t. ic l l ying g n c h f h h s The r a r ou ld make not ing o t e nor t ide. g ene al ppea a ce Of h s ece of st e and the fa tha one s e of n t i pi on , ct t id it the wes s e is eft e re wihou r ame bu t sh ws ( t id ) l nti ly t t o n nt, o mar ksof having been attached to some bu ilding by iron sa ssu ess ha was r a te e for its re t y , gg t t t it not o igin lly in nd d p s I ma r e ha e ee a ar t of a a e ent u se. t y ve y lik ly v b n p pinn cl s u rmou nting a bu ttr essor flanking a tower .

C HU RCHYARD - a of IN THE , to the south e st as of f the church , is the much dilapidated b e a our teenth- of century cross Ham Hill stone, with indica of tions bold convex broaches at the corners . It is r - thi ty three inches square by sixteen inches deep, and isset of in it , diagonally thereto, the square base a s f ’ w ha t broken Ofi almost level ith the socket . It f m of probably or ed part a preaching cross. “ Hutchins says : In Dom esday Book the Bishop of Salisbury holds Estminstr e In Henry VIII ’ stim e several farms and lands in the o parish ofYetminster belonged t Cerne Abbey . The plate is from a photograph by MissHilda

Pope .

MAIDEN NEWTON

HE village or market cross stood in the middle of to of the village . It is said have been one r f of the finest in the county, with a calva y ormed e sof f sev ral tier steps, and a grand sha t, finely carved , w ar niched and canopied on the estern side . The calv y issaid to have been removed when the new coaching w was e road to the est mad by the Turnpike Trust, 1 80 as the about the year 7 , being an obstruction, of af r e socket only , with the remains the sh t, being

o w . erected s me hat in the same position , viz , at the of i a cross roads in the centre the v llage . There is of the tradition existing that the stones base , which w the must have been a goodly pile, ere used by trustees ofthe Dorchester and Maiden Newton Turn pike ih the construction of the two bridges to the w s of can of e t the village, but I find no confirmation x a w be this report, and on e mining the bridges it ill 62 VILLAGE CROSS MAIDENNEWTON

found that the copingsonly of the parapets are of ofw as of Ham Hill stone, hich stone the b e the cross was doubtless built . The remains of the old cross now consist of a socket of Ham Hill stone three feet three inches square by fifteen inches deep (out of ground) in a w and w e much orn dilapidated condition , sho ing littl of f or no sign the usual broaches, cham ers or mould w ings. Into the mortise of thissocket is fixed ith cement, the usual leading not being discernible, the stump ofa massive square shaft ofa hard close-grained of stone, Ham Hill character, much harder than f w f f that rom hich the socket is ormed , measuring our f e the e t in height , nineteen inches square at base , f the of and ourteen inches square at top, into the top w or w f hich is leaded an iron spike, do el , about a oot for in length, presumably securing the upper portion of f f has the the sha t . The sha t deep cut rolls at w fa m w angles, and the est ce is orna ented ith a sculp tu r ed ofw ar e figure, standing on a corbel , both hich now so much defaced that it would be difiicu lt to con j ectu r e wh at might have been originally represented . w h r a . The remaining sides are pl in , it out ca ving No mention is made of this cross in either edition of H f w f utchins, but the ollo ing extract rom John ’ “ Banger Russell s notes on The Cross at Maiden 63 N the 1 80 ewton , written about year 7 , may be interesting

I th m e h s r sh h T n e iddl Oft i pa i t ere waslately a cross. he ram wasremar a e e ft and a r e w h mu h py id k bl , b ing lo y, do n d it c r e w r ha sic som ha f The ase to was a ew e a ed . c v d o k, t t ( ) t d c c nt it se eral r wsof se sand to u s e one m h sa by v o t p , do it j tic ig t y ha wasthe es the cou t Sta r d e Cr oss t t it fin t in n y, lb i g only h s r f la e ex cepted . T i vene a ble piece o antiqu ity hasbeen t ly rem ve sme sr er and ra e e and has o d by o di o d ly ig no nt p opl , it been alleg ed for an ex cu se for thisshamefu l action that it r wou ld have been an Obstr u ction to the tu r npike oad. It were to be wished that it had been erected again in a place where no one cou ld be offended with it .

THE C H U RCHYARD CROSS

s f of In the churchyard , ome ten eet to the south is su ofth e f the south transept, the t mp octagonal sha t of a a e s e an old cross, set in a m ssive squ r ock t, both h e f is f being of Ham Hill stone . T sha t three eet e and s at thr e inches high , brought to a quare the x s a is base by conve tops, at the ngles it quite plain a d s e n . and equal sid d , taper sharply towards the top w has n The socket, hich is very massive , a octagonal a fe bed w a e of ch m red upper , ith bro ch s bold convex is f s e e outline ; it three eet quar at the bas , and one es e isset a f foot eight inch d ep, and up on cham ered 64

EL RY BUBB O R DO N M BU , BUBB W

N the churchyard to the south of the tower is the socket and part ofthe shaft ofa fifteenth-cen r tu y cross. o f The s cket, which is square at the base, has allen u was n into decay ; the pper bed octago al , as evidenced of r now by the remains the broaches at the corne s, I t almost entirely disappeared . t measures thir y inches u f sq are at the base by fi teen inches deep . of af s What remains the sh t, which was set quare t the e wi h socket, is thirteen inch s high and twelve s u to c inches quare at the base, and is bro ght an o tagon f nine inches rom the base by mitred stops. It is n no loosely fitted in the mortise, there bei g evidence of leading . of l e The whole is Ham Hi l ston . f m The plate is ro a photograph by Miss Hilda Pope .

far to ofthe NOT distant, also the south tower, is a to of Modern Cross, erected the memory John 66 CHU RCHYARD CRO SS MELBU RY BUBB

1 8 8 I of n Christopher in 9 . t is Portla d stone and said “ to be a tru e reproduction ofthe Old Cross described s . I a ad af above mu t le ve the re er, ter inspection , to u h j dge ow far this has been successful . MELBURY OSMOND

u - of u N the so th west corner the ch rchyard , by is of the entrance gate near the rectory, a part the of f octagonal base an Old Cross, probably early our teenth century . It is of Ham Hill stone and measu res thirty-eight inchesin diameter and fifteen inches on each face of the octagon . h R f t e . The rector, Rev . Bradley Roe , in orms the writer that when the church wasbeing restored in 1 88 f 7 , an old Norman ont was discovered , embedded of in the masonry the steps leading to the gallery , in rf of pe ect condition , but with no base , and that a part of w the base the old cross asused to complete it . f mu cl: r estor ed m a C The ont, , y be seen in the hurch .

68

1 0 co ai . 1 December, 9 3, and nt ned in vol . xxv p of f s their Proceedings, gives the ollowing de cription of e a e oss this v ner bl cr .

I the e re of the W es or o of the Mar ket S reet n c nt id t p ti n t , the u ses sreet the tow wasthe ma n ce mar et b i t t in n, g ifi nt k cross. I wasone ofthe es the om u e wor h t fin t in kingd , q it t y ofits os o ear the e Ch rch p iti n n Abb y u . I had an ase of no essth th I ss t c nt l an irty steps. t ite is mar ked in the present par k by a stone which issaid to be a r o of the r i r O r r s r s e l u s h po ti n o ig nal c oss. u egi te t l t at du ring the daysof the Commonwealth bannsof marr iage “ ” wer e u she th mar The wee mar e was p bli d in e ket. kly k t we a e e and washe r u th mar e ss ll tt nd d ld o nd e k t cro .

u of o It is c rious that no vestige this cr ss, except f to m a f the socket above re erred , re ains ; c re ul inquiry f has ailed to discover any . Possibly the stones may have been u sed in the buildings of the new town in 1 86 if to 7 so, they may some day come light . r f Mr . Pentin also e ers to an ancient cross in the ’ ” u Its Abbey ch rchyard called the Druid s Cross. was w f f exact position , he says, t elve eet rom the south -east angle of the south transept of the Abbey u Church and that it perished with the ch rchyard . of a John Banger Russell, Be minster, in his manu ou a w script notes Milton Abb s , ritten about the year 1 80 a 7 , s ys 7 0 In the chu rchyar d belonging to thisparish ther e isa cr oss ss fthree fl h sofs s Ex a l su ar e on the con i ting o ig t tep . ct y q top isa larg e stone with a hole in the middle in which per haps her e sa r am I m se f r m m r wh r wa . e e e e the e c t py id , y l , b n x ma e a l e ece of ro faste e to the m e so tha in d litt pi i n n d iddl , t I eannot think it wasu sed for a bason for Holy Water to sr l th s r p ink e o e that prayed the e.

e h f at one Th re appears, t ere ore , time to have been viz 1 a three Crosses at Milton , ( ) the M rket cross, ’ 2 o ( ) the Druid s cross, and (3) the Churchyard cr ss , a all probably a pre ching cross, now destroyed . a of be The m nor Milton , in Domesday Book, f longed to the Abbey . The church itsel holds ” Mideltone of — , and it is the head the Abbey . And so n it conti ued until the Dissolution , when it was V Tr on ell granted by King Henry III to John eg w . Two of beau tifiI I e at least these cross s, viz . , the a a l M rket cross and the Pre ching cross, were doubt ess,

as . in many other instances , erected by the monks ’ The cross known as the Druid s cross was probably a memorial cross erected by some private

individual . LITTLE MINTERNE

S a small hamlet in the parish of Buckland w a off a Ne ton , situ te in a valley the m in road e and w between Cern Abbas Sherborne, bet een the ninth milestone from Dorchester and the newly of w erected mansion Lord Digby , kno n as Minterne s Hou e . The remains ofa wayside cross will be found under an ancient spreading beech tree at the junction of “ ” as one a f the roads known The Cross, le ding rom the Dorchester main road to Buckland Newton and the f other rom the village to the higher Sherborne road , “ ’ ” h h G s a is of w ic it joins at iant He d . They cons t - and af of Ham a socket stone sh t only , Hill stone, w a ithout calvary . The socket is octagonal in its upper bed and con r s a b old ve ted into a qu re below by convex broaches,

’ much worn away by many generations of children m a e cli bing over them . It me sur s three feet squ are on 7 2

MOTCOMBE

a a h N the churchy rd , immedi tely opposite the sout of porch , stand the remains the old churchyard preaching cross . of of There are two tiers square steps, great solidity, f of ofHam i ormed blocks H ll stone, without drip or -off f set , the basement step being eight eet square and f ee the five fe a ourt n inches deep , second step et squ re

e . O the e al and nin inches deep n these stand sock t, so of two f e Ham Hill stone , eet square by sixte n inches e w a f f de p , ith boldly cham ered upper bed . The sha t , ofwh f e was ich some two eet three inches only r main , f a s se ormerly octagonal , brought to quare at the ba s the w by tops and mortised into socket, with hich it isset square , with lead , but is now much worn and efa d ced . u u n of The whole str ct re is plai in outline, and the a ordin ry type erected late in the fourteenth century . Motcombe is a Chapelry in the Liberty ofG illing and s a e t h ham, appear to h v been given , wi h ot er 7 4

Al u r ed de 1 2 e lands, by Lincoln , in 93, to Montacut ’ w VI s e s G Priory . In Ed ard r ign land at illingham ’ e r and Motcombe belonging to B rkeley s Chant y , w e o e s CO . Wilts, ere grant d to J hn Thynn (Hutchin , vol . iii , p . The e isf U field Shaftes plat rom a photograph by p , u b ry .

7 S OKEFO RD

A lia : O CKFO R D FITZPAINE

the e of the e C and N centr villag , near the hurch w was the e rectory, on hat once village gre n , stands e s of he a th ba e t ncient village cross . In plan it isa rectangular oblong and consists of two a m s - e a steps and very a sive socket ston . The b se m ent step m easu res nine feet on its eastern and w r s and f este n ides, eight eet on the north and south . I of a as s t is local green sandstone known Ti bury , a set-off at e f sd has bold the bas , ourteen inche eep , isw an w e d s and ithout y eath r rip . The second tep , is w isf m e of o of which much orn , or d s lid blocks s f s Ham Hill tone, and measures six eet on its ea tern face and five feet four inches on itssouthern ; it is and nine inches deep twelve inches wide . s w isf f The ocket, hich ormed rom one solid block ofHam s e e Hill ton deeply b velled round the edge , isextremely massive measuring three feet four inches 7 6

and other wild flowers growing in the inter stices ofthe stonework . a o a of In Domesd y Book the Church f St . M ry G l astin ber ie O ckfor d itz aine and to g held F p , up the reign of Henry V III the manor was held by the ofG e for th e s Abbots lastonbury , who provid d ervices a he s The of e t t cros . Abbot C rne also held lands within the manor . The a e isf m a e pl t ro a photogr ph by N sbitt , Bland fo rd . WEST PARLEY

H ERE isa cross in relief carved on a r ectan gular stone leaning against the outside west wall of the church an s e porch . It st d thre f es eet eight inch hig h , two feet two inches the a m s broad across r , and the stone upon which it is carved issix

inchesin thickness . A good etching (here r e produced) ofthis stone by M i ss Wi ni fred Ch u dl ei h d au hter of g , g

the the R ev . Rector, h s R . a . A Chudleigh , been sent me and the R e ctor w rit e s t h at there islittle known a and h e has bout it , been u nable to find any e r cord concerning it . tradition ex ists that a cross formerly stood Close 7 9 b a e o ea the s y roadsid po l n r village, called Cros ” d the e Pon , where a stone in h dge used to mark the ” of of al e limit a plot ground c l d Church Land, said a n e C e of to h ve been an a ci nt hurchyard, but no trac can f this cross now be ound .

80

VILLAG E CROSS PIMPERNE PIMPERNE

LACED S C in the open pace near the hurch , f of ormerly the village green , under the shadow a fine old w f the of elm, hollo rom age , are remains the Pimperne village cross . ss of a m b e They con i t base ent , oldly b nched, two plain steps and a noble socket-Stone in which isleaded he ofa shaft w one r t . the stump , hich at time ca ried cross s w is fa s of ese a The ba ement, hich in a ir tate pr rv tion , measures nine feet on each face by one foot nine s w i inches deep, the second and third teps , h ch are plain , eas e a w i s . m ur e ch ten inche deep The socket, into h ch the of f is remains the sha t are fixed , exceedingly m s e f e a sive b ing three e t square on the upper bed , showing evidence ofh aving been boldly cham fered

- the e and w e ee . round dge , t enty ight inches d p About f of the s af is f sis we e two eet only h t le t , and thi t lv and a a f e at the The f was h l inches squar base . sha t a to probably octagon l , brought a square at the base S s by top or broaches. 81 c w The whole is mu h orn and dilapidated , the of original workings being scarcely discernible . It is s a green sand tone, probably Tisbury . The joints were some few years since pointed with

cement to keep the work intact . oak of There is an post, said to be the remains the C the t of village stocks, lose to sou h side the basement w step , hich is much worn away opposite to where f the eet ofthe unruly villagers were locked in . f Br m or f o e e co . The Priory , Hants, ormerly held a manor in this parish ; and the Abbess of Tarent al so held lands here. A family named de Pympre were early bene f is actors to this nunnery , and it probable that the f fifteenth cross, which is late ourteenth or early s s C wa ofits . entury work, erected by one member f a s a The plate is rom photograph by Ne bitt , Bl nd f ord .

PUNC NO LE ITH S RE K W W WY .

FINE example of an early fifteenth-century cross standsin the Churchyard some twelve f to -e of isone of eet the north ast the chancel . It the few crossesin Dorset which escaped the fury ofthe sand sits f its i a Puritan retain sha t in orig nal sh pe , f e . so a em f s unbrok n It consist bas ent, seven eet quare , a a l s lmost buried in the ground, p ain solid tep, five f and fe s of a eet square fi t en inche deep , both local m e n wa a a s li sto e , or Ridg y, or Portl nd , a squ re ocket of fifteenth- e an the usual century type, convert d into its e e cu t e octagon in upp r bed by d eply conv x broaches . The s is -f s ocket thirty our inche square at the base, fe e on fa of a e fi t en inch s each ce the oct gon , and igh s h is f e n i o . r te n i che depth , it Ham Hill stone A ve y perfect plain octag onal shaft eight feet six inches a m cu t f m of a s high , onolith ro a solid block h rd coar e — grained Stone resem bling Ham Hill brought to a - — square at the base by mitr e stops ismortised into 84 CHURCHYARD CROSS PUNCKNOWLE

e th socket (with which it isset square) with lead . It f f at two f e girths our eet the base, tapering to e t nine e at the and is m a inch s top , sur ounted by a very h nd a a sw n some b cu , ith bold horizontal mouldi gs . This at one e a a as tim doubtless c rried a c nopied head , indi cated the w n by rought iron spike fixed i to the top, by w wass f e s hich it upported . The sha t inclin s lightly w a a e to ards the north , doubtless ttributable to s ttle m n e and ism w a w and e t in the bas , uch e ther orn e e a fa of cov r d with lichen . On the east octagon l ce the shaft are dowel holes and the remainsof iron w s a s a a of was do el , indic tion th t figure some kind

’ f m e e a or erly th r to att ched . It ispossible that there might have been a third step which now liesburied beneath the accum ulated soil which would have given the base a much better n to a s proportio the shaft th n it bearsat pre ent . I have been unable to gather any tradition respect ing thisvery interesting r elic either locally or from W a s t e . R ev. . h the county histories The B rne , Dor set e a t e on w e po t, in an r icl Punckno l , contributed to ’ ” Th e G m s a a e 1 8 s ef entle an M g zin in 35 , hortly r ers to it and sendsa drawing showing the shaft in much e a a the sam st te sit isseen at present . m a softh e s The re in village stock still exist . e r the C the s w a fine N a hurch is manor hou e, ith 85 fr r Perpendicular doorway and east ont , the prope ty

ofG . s Morton Man el , Esq. of s d On the confines this parish , at the cro s roa s f A w converging rom bbotsbury, Bridport , and S yre , f ofa a are the ragments vill ge crossmuch dilapidated .

Little is known about them .

f W . . The plate is rom a photograph by Mr. L

Stephens .

showsthat it waserected subsequently to the cross a 1 6 which bears the d te 5 1 . The basement step measures thirty-two incheson a a fa iss e h e ch octagon l ce, ixteen inches de p to the plint , s w has w and ixteen inches ide, it a good eather drip , set-off and a bold ten inches deep . The second step istwenty-four incheson each face of sw e es its octagon , ten inche ide, and nin inch deep, e -off with no drip or st . and w is The handsome richly carved socket, hich s a set a l s hasa qu re and di gona ly with the ba e , deep d m ’ m bol oulded plinth, upon which, in Hutchins s ti e, now w a wasC a an inscription , some h t obliterated , le rly m e s e a discernible . It co menc d on the east id , e ch word being separated from the nex t by a stop orna m of f on e s ent, in the style the inscriptions ound b ll ofthe same period . Hutchins gives it in full asfollows

a 11111a b et a min u t ea meta “t ilt s:

’ visitsp ortststnmomtntsmbusamsns M X V mm . D I .

The date ( 1 5 1 6) occu rs again at the foot of the shaft . The fou r elaborately sculptured panelscontaining 88 f s f subjects rom ecclesia tical history , are ully described ’ in Hutchins s third edition ; which description ishere quoted in full .

That on the nor th side appearsto be a repr esentation of the mar r m ofS . homasofCa er u r as o e u r e ty do t T nt b y, c nj ct d f m r f h is n in the or e edition o thiswor k . T er e a kneeli g u r e of an e c esast c and two men ar mou r wi h ra se fig c l i i , in t i d sw r swhis an a e a sta n issr e ch n ou t his o d , l t tt nd nt ndi g by t t i g r m m b a asifto war d offthe fatal blow. It ay e mentioned in su ppor t of thisconjectu r e that the Chu r ch of Compton s Val e e a e h u r n ar sh is e ca e S . homa nc , n ig bo i g p i , d di t d to t T ofCa er u r sh w e ther tha he had some o e t o nt b y, o ing i t c nn c i n with thispar t of the cou ntry or that ther e wasa str ong feel in ofr r n r sh The o te fa e fthe g eve e ce towa d im her e. pposi c o r osswh h Hu h s rs e t esasthe s of c , ic tc in (fi t di ion) giv toning

S . S e he a co e tu r e c ear rr e a ear sto r e r ese t t p n, nj c l ly inco ct, pp p nt K n r her isa i g Hen y the Second doing penance. T e kneeling u r e w h a r w at hisfee and two o her sw h u l fe fig it c o n t, t it p i t d armsha s u r es the r ha s one e n a foo w h , ving co g in i nd , b i g l it ca and e s The su u r e on the r th-eas a e seems p b ll . c lpt no t p n l to e f d pict the laying ou t o the body ofthe mar tyr . essr e hed at en h at the f of the su e A body li t tc l gt oot bj ct, and two fig u r esnear it ar e evidently engaged in tying a band r ss ac o the legsand ar msr espectively. The awkwar d position in which these fig u r esare placed seemsto be necessitated by the desir e to show thr ee other ers sfi' m eh The su tu r n the r p on o b ind looking on . c lp e o e maining face on which two crowned fig u r es(male and female) are r e r ese te ass at a a e asre r ese e p n d, not itting t bl p nt d in 89 to have at one time belonged to a family of that m na e .

THE VILLAGE C ROSS

a of In nother part the churchyard, and in the ’ d of s mi dle the Vill , in Hutchins time, were the soft o m s remain w s aller crosse . has a That in the churchyard entirely dis ppeared, h t w ilst that in the village , which at hat time stood G r on the reen , now ove shadowed by fine poplar f of trees, near the cross roads at the oot the hill , “ ’ ” was opposite the Tiger s Head Inn , , during the 1 - incumbency ofthe Rev . William Pace ( 7 94 1 845 ) O removed to its present position , pposite the Old

Rectory House at Broomhill . There isan interesting local tradition extant that or his the Rector Curate, being unable to sleep, ordered e the cross to be removed to its pres nt position , to the w s of old so e t the rectory , that he might be under a of a the sh dow the Holy Cross, or wh t remained of it . s w This mo t picturesque Old Rectory House, ith its f w has thatched roo and dormer windo s, since been con O of se verted into three cottages. ne the is approached of a m a by a bold flight semicircul r steps, and within y 9 2

f ourteenth century . There is a government bench a mark on the b se stone . f The plates are rom photographs by Mr . Richard

Hine .

CROSS IN HOLY T RINITY CHURCHYARD SHAFTESBURY SHAFTESBURY

T isno matter for surprise that this ancient Abbey w w was of to n, hich under the immediate sway f ofShaston who the power ul Abbess , , with the King, his s w e wn ofth e n or les ees, er joint o ers ma or, and to f which pilgrims flocked rom all parts, should have e es been rich in preaching, praying and mark t cross . 1 Hutchins (first edition, 7 7 3) mentions five crosses and one as standing in his time , other (the Butter w T o Cross) hich had then recently been removed . w of only these now remain . S of of A hort notice each these crosses is here given , chiefly from information gathered from Hutchins n e (seco d dition, ’ ar s r — St . Ad C am I . y Probably a preaching or pray ’

I S G . ing cross . t tood on St. Mary s reen , near Mr ’ G Bim or t was the rove s gate at p . It removed about 1 year 7 98. ’ ld or u -Hill r oss St II . Go Go ld C n a . s , , stood e r Peter 95 w G Church , here the present uildhall, which was the of s n 1 82 erected by Marquis We tmi ster in 7 , now w was a stands . The old cross, hich probably a pre ch

s e e . ing cro s, b ing removed to provide a sit It con of two s sisted a basement and step , surmounted by a w was S af pedestal, in hich set a massive octagonal h t,

upon which was a Latin cross, and near to it was the - - in w . en ancient bull r g, stocks and hipping post An of graving this cross is preserved in Hutchins . Tlze Fish Cr oss III . , which was a market cross , and ’ ll s of f . Wi is a s is shown in Mr map Sh te bury , drawn 1 6 1 i e in 5 , and reproduced in Hutchins, stood a l ttl e G the e e b yond the New uildhall , to w st , n ar ’

. s wa . St Peter s Church, and covered with lead It was e t the 1 8 remov d abou year 7 3. I l e B u tter and Chees r ss . e C o V , anciently called ” ’ Pu l tr S Willissm a w . the y Cross , also ho n on Mr p, stood in the Butter Market , and had a reservoir on the for of for w top the supply water the to n , in con nection with the waterworks formerly at the foot of w Castle Hill . Hutchins says this cross astaken down 1 2 the on was r in 7 7 , but inscription it p eserved and removed into a back cour t ofthe house formerly be and af w o longing to Henry Saunders, ter ards ccupied e 1868 e a by William Kimber, wher (in ) it still r m ined . The inscr iption wasas follows 96

HN ’ ST . JO S CROSS SHAFTESBURY ing cross used by some of the many pilgrims who s e the a s a e ee vi it d ncient mona tery , s id to hav b n founded by King Ethelb ald or by hisbrother King f G of Al red the reat . It now stands in the garden ’ ’

f . . e is o St John s Cottag , which on the site St John s

C e . Church and hurchyard , mention d in Hutchins who of Mr. H . C . Forrester, is now the owner the e f me the f cottag , in orms that cross ormerly stood in e of the w a corn r churchyard, but that ithin living w memory it has t ice been moved . ’ e It isa question whether this is the sam St . John s

. of w so s Cross , the position hich is clearly de cribed ’

e . in Hutchins s first dition vol ii , p . 5 , as follows

’ Ch r h is Near the east end OfSt. Martin s u c an open place wher e ma wa smee and es esthe wa o u ny y t, b id y c ntin ing stra ight on fr om High Str eet to East Street (now Salisbu ry ' S ree and Har La e ther e to the or h-eas ra hesofl t t) t n , n t t b nc C r e or Co S ree La e and to the su th Shetewel La e o p p t t n , o n , ’ h h r r s sh ad wh h ea s w t e a of S . Pe e ar ic l d do n ill to p t t t p i , ’ s h f h sr s am . t e r es e s oo joining to St . J es In e c nt e o t e t e t t d ’ s ' m f oh St h sCr s SO a e fiO the ha tr o S . . Jo n o , c ll d c n y t J n w th the m aser wh h had a h u se e o in to i in on t y, ic o b l ng g it in r East St eet.

This position isa long way distant from the site of ’ ’

hn if . St . Jo s Church , and the existing St John s Cross 98 isthe same as that mentioned by Hutchins it must have been removed from its original position to th at ’ is the fa in St . John s churchyard . It strange that ct of its removal is not noticed by Hutchins . Although 2 f the C e to later on , p . 3 , he re ers to hurch dedicat d

. w w of St John the Baptist, hich stood on the est end ’ as of St . John s Hill, ruinated beyond the memory ” - e of man , and to an altar tomb n ar the vestiges

C to of the Rev. a the hurch , the memory Nichol s of a ho 1 2 . w Clark , Rector St J mes , died in 7 4, but no of s mention is made the cro s . r e- e sof This cross, as er cted and restored , consist a of e s a of w ar e calvary thre qu re steps, some hich m e w e a fe e od rn , ith a massiv squ re socket, boldly cham r d its is e w a e in upper bed , into which fix d ith lead a squ r a s f am f e t pering ha t , also boldly ch ered , surmount d by a a the ten f L tin cross, whole being about eet high , he Of . t and Ham Hill stone . Mr Doran Webb puts e f r e dat as ou t enth century . f ar e f a two e In the sha t our p nels, on the east sid , w e two the e S e as sho n in the plat , and on r verse id , one Corresponding in situation to the lower panel in

- the and the e . plate, the other in socket ston Both w e ar e a v a ase and panels sho n in the plat c r ed in lab t r, ar e now covered with glass for their better preser a The w of e e sthe v tion . lo er one th se repres nt Deity , 99 the reverse panel being too far perished even to admit of as e e s conjecture to the subj ct r pre ented . In t he upper panel our Lord is represented in a ” s two ve ica piscis, supported by angels . The panel in the socket-stone is also nearly is f to a we perished, but enough le t show th t there re o once tw figures carved upon it . e isf a U field Shaftes The plat rom a photogr ph by p ,

bury.

n a f s eleven inches, ni e inches, eight and hal inche of s u e and seven inches deep respectively, plain con tr and no w a tion e ther drips, the basement step being f on f Of a four eet ten inches each ace the oct gon . The modern shaft which is made of some hard u ess s local stone, ro gh dr ed, is thirteen inche square and three feet eight inches high and fixed diagonally O in the ld socket . The restoration is said to have been carried ou t at of the expense the late Ralph Bankes , Esq. , who was lord ofthe manor. f a h There was ormerly priory ere .

1 0 2

‘ T HE CONDUIT SHER BORNE SHERBORNE

a a . HIS ancient c thedral town , ccording to Mr W I h . . A . f m es . B Wildman, M , or erly poss sed t ree High Crosses resembling more or less that which still s s o tand in the village fStalbridge . They stood one at one of and the top and at the bottom Cheap Street, one in Newl and ; not a vestige ofany one ofthese now sa w . remains . When they ere removed he does not y a was so 1 is But th t one standing late as 7 7 4 certain , u n of w as H tchi s, in the first edition his ork published f w of in that year, gives the ollo ing description it

In the High Street standsa neat cr ossresembling that at Sta r e bu t l e fee h h the hav ee lb idg , on y nin t ig , top ing b n ff s a r e o u a e the ma e and r e ace w th a . b ok n j t bov i g , pl d i di l O the su th fa e i an ma f S h h a s s e o . c t e n o c i g t Jo n, lo d in kin of sm a m h hisf e a t e hea ha w e wee ee . o ni l, d nging do n b t n t B his s He holdsin hisleft hand a lamb . ehind leg kneel s s r two u r es ha the eft h sa r of ea . U e fig , t t on l old t ing b d nd

1 W ’ ildman s istor of rborn . 0 H S e e . y h , p 5 1 0 3 r fi s The r ssisone f the pedestal kneel two mo e g u r e . c o oot and a ha f su ar e at the ase which has om ar me s l q b , no c p t nt , and isthr ee fee ameter two fee and a ha fh h o ta t in di , t l ig , c gon, w h su h h The two it q ar es at t e fou r sidessix inc eswide. se sar e a so a o the r s a f the her we t t p l oct g n, fi t oot, ot t n y h sh inc e igh.

It isprobable that the other two crosses referred to w 1 6 w n ere demolished in the year 43, hen the Ordina ce for of f r the destruction crosses went o th .

O D T — I THE C N U I . should not be doing Sher borne justice if I omitted to mention thisvenerable and interesting monument . It stands in the market isan a the a place , oct gonal building in Perpendicul r s of s a su style, con tructed eight lig htly pointed rches p m w s ported by assive buttressed piers, ith bold plinth . They su pport a fine vaulted roofhidden by a parapet wi a m and a capped th deep oulding, having bold - or w . ar w string course, eather drip The ches ere filled w a of in ith Perpendicul r tracery , much which has m . as isa f u a w been re oved On the e t side o nt in , hich f ismodern . The conduit ormerly stood in the centre of s C was the chool loister court , but , in or about the a 1 60 r - w now ye r 5 , moved to the ma ket place , here it s u 1 . H s f tands tchins, in 7 7 4, give the ollowing short description ofthe conduit : 1 04

SHILLINGSTO NE

O th of a f m e north the vill ge, on the g reen or ed by the j u nction ofthe main road with the road to C u and leading the h rch rectory , stands the village of s a cross . The base only, consisting two teps and s was of ocket , all that remained it at its restoration in 1 Th is f s a its 903. e basement step nine eet qu re on f w a w upper ace, finely benched , ith deep eather drip -off s is and bold set . The second tep plain , with no ’ set-ofl drip or . m s f f The a sive socket, ormed rom one solid block Of Ham is c a in its Hill stone , o t gonal upper bed , bro u ght to a square at itsbase by bold convex a s r w n bro che , its lowe bed being orked with a ca t or - e a deep set off much worn . Ther are c rved sunk l f f of w pane s on the our aces, the subjects hich are a now sc rcely discernible . e f w w of The squar sha t , hich had been sa n level to ofthe wasset w with the p socket, diagonally ith the 106 VILLAGE CROSS SHILLINGSTONE

a w a w ofHam b se , and run ith le d , the hole being Hill e s a ston ; the basement , previou to the restor tion , stood w of on a level ith the g round . A good engraving the ’ of as a base this cross it ppeared in Hutchins s time , e is with a short d scription , given in the third edition f o 2 . Hutchins, vol . iii , p. 43 s we e 1 0 on a The e remains r , in 9 3, raised stone sub a the a a was and a f b se , c lv ry restored , new sha t fixed the old o at of fa of in s cket , the expense the mily the

. C a a his . late Mr Kyrle h pm n , to memory The restoration wascom pleted from the design and

e f C . O . . under the superintend nce Mr E Ponting , the a the e is diocesan rchitect , to whom writ r indebted for the following description of the cross as restored

The Old base stone and stepshave been r eset withou t re ewa the Old shaft waslet the ase and r u n w th ea n l, into b i l d, ’ ad ee saw Ofl eve w h the to Of the ase I was it h b n n l l it p b . t x e a a b u t r er esr th s ofevi fi d di gon lly, in o d not to d t oy i bit sh ft isle s h e e the new a t u ar e w the ase. The new d nc , in q it b sw e shaft has ac e r the an es and a ear ved ca . pinn l o k d on g l , p The hea hasf u r a e heswi h su u r e su e s d o c nopi d nic , t c lpt d bj ct h f ea h viz . the e a eas the Cr u x in c , , in nic cing t, cifi ion ; in that on the west the Annu nciation ; in that on the sou th the u r e ofa sh r e r ese t Sa Bir inu s and ha fig bi op, p n ing int ; in t t on the r th Sa Alahelin. These ar e fla e w th a es no int nk d i pinn cl , a r e e and su r mou nted by c ock t d spir e. 107 In tlxe cl mr clq ar d to the east of the porch is the of base ofwhat was probably a preaching cross . It is of s n f Ham Hill stone, and consists a basement eve eet square and eighteen inches deep, with a bold fluted ’ w -O fl and c eather drip, and a good set , a se ond step , f fe a our et ten inches squ re, and eleven inches deep, f e of e of no orm d thre solid blocks stone , with weather

i . no af. dr p There is socket nor sh t Tradition says that, f l i as at Cor e Mu len, bread and alms were distr buted once a year from this cross to the poor ofthe parish . On the bed ofthe second step rest two rectangular of blocks stone, each about twenty inches by eleven R G B l who . ar te ot inches, which the Rev . . , as mis ’ sioner of e s of St . Andr w Society took charge the 1 0 f f parish in 9 3, in orms the writer were ormerly aflix ed of to the east wall the chancel , one on each e of f e sid the altar, where rom time imm morial they ” h ad e e n s rved as cr dence tables . At the restoratio of e 1 0 e e Shillingston Church in 9 3, thes brack t stones ' were sawn ofl level with the wall to make room for the magnificent transalpine altar specially designed f r o . Ba the church . Mr r tel ot found the stonesin a h ea of s afe the had ef had p rubbi h t r masons l t, and the now them placed in position they occupy . It isworthy ofnote that the church isdedicated to the Holy Cross . 108

SPETTISBU RY

N the garden in front ofthe neat far m-house near ” w as the church, kno n Church Farm, may be seen the socket-stone ofwhat wasformerly the Spot a fine s of tisbury village cross. It is in tate preserva e - e a tion , and measur s some thirty thre inches squ re by f e n fi teen inches de p , it shows bold co vex broaching at th e f the angles, by which upper bed is ormed into s an octagon, and doubtles at one time carried a massive a - oct gonal shaft of the usual fifteenth century type . I now s r s fine r t is being u ed, su mounted by ome Do set flintsas -w for , a rock ork flowers . I a ofthe a w n corner g rden are some orked stones, which doubtless at one time also formed part Ofthe l vi lage cross. The accompanying plate shows to what curiou s

uses these ancient stones are sometimes put . ” The manor of Charlton Speytb u r y wasin the reig n ofEdward I granted to the Abbessand Convent 1 10 BASE OF CROSS SPETTISBU RY

of and so at s i of Tarent , was held the di solut on the a e mon st ries . isfi' om a a esbitt The plate photogr ph by N , Bland f r o d . STALBRIDG E

O f m N the High Street this old arket town , oppo a site the Rectory garden , stands very interesting and almost unique specimen of a fourteenth-century in f cross . It is a air state of preservation and seems a f 1 6 so to h ve escaped the Puritan ury in 43, when of f many our beauti ul crosses were demolished . It is a its a pr ctically in origin l state, its tabernacled head, S wasf with its crocketed pire , which ormerly sur a s r e mounted with cro s, only having undergone sor io t at n. It consistsofa calvar y ofthree octagonal steps and a e a massive sock t , which supports square tapering af sh t with a roll at the angles, capped by an octagonal f an abacus, bearing our shields, and surmounted by open Stone shrine of rich tabernacle-work and a e th e of Ham crocketed spir , whole being Hill stone . s f is is fe The ha t, which a monolith , about twelve e t h e n a the s O n in eight and eight en i ches squ re at ba e . 1 1 2

the o en stone Sh rine which forms the head and p , t he cr o o what la r ck eted spir e point to a style sme te . An inter esting notice ofthiscros will be fou nd in “ ” Somer set and orset otesand u ie t vol . iii D N Q , , ’ p. 40 ; and a fu ll descr iption of it in Hu tchinss ” it o ii sor of orset thi d edition v l . i . 6 . H y D , r , , p 7 3

1 14 STINSFORD

ITHINthe confines of this parish are three e e s s of e al ven rabl tone worthy notic ; and , though two of them at least do not come strictly w the r e of w e e ithin p ovinc this ork to d scribe , th y not e i e should be altog ther om tt d . I iss e e e a No . ituat d on an l v ted position on Pud dl etown a m a w of e He th, com nding vie s great b auty and e w c e e e ext nt , hich omprise the fine monum nt er ct d ’ on B e s s a s lagdon Hill to N l on capt in , Sir Thoma r the the s the Ha dy on west, and Purbeck Hill on south . All that remains of this once much larger frag f f w - ea ment, may be ound by ollo ing the track way l ding f Bhom ston wa Yell owham rom p north rd to Bottom , till a spot to the north-east OfRushy Pond is reached where the track-way intersectsthe old Roman road from Dorchester through Weather bu ry Castle to Bad i . a v e bury Rings In the mmedi te icinity are , thre 1 1 5 as a w and British tumuli known R in barro s , the ’ of - e remains the beacon keeper s hut, us d in the war s with Napoleon , so well depicted by Mr. Thoma “ in . Hardy his recent work The Dynasts Part I , of of Act II , Scene V that drama, gives a picture the upland as it was at night in those times :

oft r e ofhea hla er m a an a r u s e A l y idg t nd, t in ting in b pt lop , th she er e at the su mmit ofwhich ar e thr ee tu md i. On e lt d Side of the most pr ominent of these standsa bu t of tu r ves f ne of w th a r Ch m e . I fr ar e two r so fu e o i b ick i n y n ont ick l, heather and fu r e for u t the ther ofw for z q ick ig ni ion, o ood sow u r S meth the fee of the ar nessand l b ning . o ing in l d k in the per sonality of the spot impartsa sense ofu ninter r u pted ‘ sace ar u the v ew da ex e n fr m the CliflS of p o nd, i by y t ndi g o ’ the Ise ofW h easwar to Blackdon H Dea ma s l ig t t d ill, by d n Ba Weswar and sou h acr ssthe val e ofthe Fr m t o y t d, t o l y oo the r e tha scr e s h idg t en the C annel .

The isof stone , which is almost buried in the soil, and m a f a Ham Hill , y, at one time, have ormed po rtion ofa late fourteenth or early fifteenth-century w cross . On the est side is a rudely sculptured figure n e a a e and u n sta ding on a corb l in c nopi d c sped iche , w n u f the a f ith right ha d pli ted to he d , and the le t s the cros ing body . There is a deeply grooved panel on the south side . It is a rectangular oblong mea

one f six s es a suring oot inche by twelve inch , and w s 1 16

I is n connection with this pond, which situate upon f of the what was ormerly a part open heathland, at the of d bottom Duddle Hill, there is a local tra ition of which may be wor thy notice. As the story goes to was the pond was said be bottomless , and doubt less formed in one of those natur al deep depressions of w x d e s hich many e ist on Pud l town Heath, ome

- e being filled with a dead, black looking wat r contain of ing shoals lizards and tadpoles, whilst others, ar e the conical shaped, abound in vegetation , and of abodes numerous conies and wild birds . H eedless William lived in the Old coaching i to a e of days, and is sa d h ve rec ived his nickname f his Heedless rom reckless driving, and to have driven his coach-and-four one dark night down e and Duddl Hill into the pond , where team coach f w e fe n and living reight er all engul d, leaving o ly the ofhis w - w top ground ash hip stick, hich remained in e its socket, visible abov the water . A further tradition has been handed down to the ff a w -s ed a e ect th t the hip tick budd and became tree , he s e and now marks t pot wh re the incident occurred . s at f on No . 3 stand Stins ord Cross Roads , the - e of the w right hand sid high ay , about one hundred

yards beyond th e first mileston e from Dorchester . It a m s w a a is li e tone , probably Ridg ay or Sw n ge , in the 1 I 8 form of a monolith measuring three feet six inches oft e r f fe two at out h ground , and gi thing our et inches the e f e e at is bas , and three eet ight inch s the top . It ” wn a as the B - i n and kno loc lly ull ba ti g Stone, is sa e for a s id to have been at one time us d th t purpo e . a of r the In confirm tion this t adition there is, on s -e f f a outh ast side, three eet rom the top, deep groove if the about three inches wide , as worn away by chain fastened round it to which the animal may have been d na a e . ttach This, too, may origi lly have been a

an w a e . Roman milestone , opinion to hich the l t Mr s e r . a of r H n y Moule, M A cur tor the Do et County

u s s . M eum , trongly inclined w nt ear s e of About t e y y s inc , when the crown the b ill was we n five lo red, the sto e was moved back some

six fee refix ed n os . or t , and in its prese t p ition STRATTON

FINE old late fourteenth-century cross (r e stored) stands west Of the north porch of the of s s o tw . f o church It is Ham Hill tone, and con ists a s e and s f square steps, ock t , an octagonal ha t , sur a n s of mounted by Lati cros , both which are modern . The basement step is benched with a fine drip mould w h a and hasa h ea ing, it fillet, bold plint , the gr ter ofwh is e s s portion ich buri d in the ground . It mea ure s fe e s a and ise s even et thre inche squ re , ighteen inche e of the The is d ep to the edge plinth . second step f s e five eet five inche square and nine inch s deep . The socket isvery massive and octagonal in itsupper w ee bed , ith bold convex broaches . It measures thr f six h s a e at e f eet inc e squ r the bas , by one oot eight e f is and s inches de p . The sha t probably shorter les ss ha s ma ive t n the original , and it has been uggested that the h ead ofthe original cross m ay be seen on the 1 2 0

16 0 con and date back to 4 , and is unable to find any firmation of i this tradit on . In 1645 the manor belonged to the Prebend of a r and a i s s of SMlisbu y, in e rlier t me to the Abbot ilton . The f Dor plate is rom a photograph by Evans, C hester .

1 2 2 STU DLAND

s e n a e T the cros roads at the ntra ce to the vill g ,

‘ near the pathway leading over Barrow Down w e m a b e se the s al of Hill to S anag , y en ocket or pedest n e is of an a cient village cross . Littl known this cross , and no mention ofit is to be found in either Ofthe s The county hi tories . village stocks, within the ofs e of a memory om the older inh bitants, stood by the e of c ne r mains the cross . The so ket is bold in outli , and hasa mortise into which a massive shaft appears e f to hav been ormerly fixed .

The date is exceedingly difficult to determine .

. n Mr C . L . Robi son , M . A . , in his Royal Warren 1 1 6 and 1 1 f w e in pp. 7 , gives the ollo ing v ry ter estin e of g d scription this stone, which I take the liberty ofquoting in full :

A cu r iou santiqu e block oftool-wrou g ht stone mar ksthe

heart ofthe me aeva l a e the s e ofthe ho cr ss. Bu t di l vi l g , it ly o e s e ss s f r or the year sar long inc the cro it el wasb oken decayed . 1 2 3 ' - — The fi agment isofthe dar k red sandy stone itscolou r d u e an x e of r —ha is e fu fou the moor s to o id i on, t t pl nti lly nd in har and f r msthe h ef u ma er al ofthe meaner d by, o c i b ilding t i I s e r sm sa bi r ar h se ta esarou . ha e e e c u ee cot g nd n p it bl g i c l c , ’ more tha fou r feet ame er and ash h asa ma s ee. n in di t , ig n kn In the top a squ ar e hollow showswher e the crosswasfor mer x e and r o es h smassto ha e ee its e estal . ly fi d, p v t i v b n p d That thiswasplaced wher e yet it standsbefor e the hu g e er sha ow r ee wasmore tha a e er sa l ish te ov d ing t n t nd p ing , in d by the fact ofthe now gr eat root having g r own and swollen e eath at e h hast te the sto e u a mosa fo b n , till l ngt it il d n p l t ot on one side.

It may not be out ofplace here to r efer the reader the e e to very int r sting and instructive paper, On the of e f o of . Work Pres rvation the Church St Nicholas ,

. l s r Studland , read by Mr Wi liam Ma te s Hardy , before the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian

F . 6 f . 1 O ield Club , and contained in vol xii , p 4 their ”

w . a f a Proceedings, in hich Mr H rdy re ers to con secration crosscarved in a north -east angle quoin of the five f a e church , about eet bov the plinth, another on the capital Ofa column in the interior at the same

e e and ff e th e l v l , to other crosses at di erent angl s, in

chancel .

1 24

CHURCHYARD CROSS STURMINSTER MARSHALL

the the m a square at top , set with lead into ortise di g onall the a n y with base . It has a roll at the ngles i ter r u pted by horizontal mouldings three feet six inches f rom the base . of s- d The whole is a reddi h coloure stone , probably and i s and Ham Hill , is covered w th mo s lichen , w to hich adds much its venerable appearance . In the south porch of the Church are two ver y n coflin s f f a i teresting labs , one with a beauti ul oli ted f cross in relie carved upon it . They are both in a fine Of e f state preservation , and are said to hav been ound face down in the chance! when the Church waspr acti a e 1 860 e e c lly rebuilt, about the y ar , and w r placed in

. m es their present position by the Vicar, the Rev Ja

Cross. The f m . G plate is rom a photograph by S illingha ,

Stickland .

12 6

MARKET CROSS STURMINSTER NEWTON STURMINSTER NEWTON

the e ofthe N sit original market place, opposite ” the Old e White Hart Inn , are the r mains ofwhat would appear to have been a late thirteenth C of of f entury cross . It consists a calvary our steps, C n of ircular in pla , surmounted by a solid block s s C h e and tone, al o ircular, t irty inch s in diameter fe h sdee w not h f e fi t en inc e p, hich could ave orm d the socket Of the original cross or carried the shaft asthe n mortise is wa ting . The basement is eleven f six e and the f n eet inch s in diameter, step ourtee and f The n inches deep ourteen inches wide . seco d step is ten inchesdeep and fourteen inches wide ; the third nine and a halfinches deep and thirteen inches wide ; and the fourth eight and a half inches deep

and twelve inches wide . The basement and steps Of sa are chiefly a green ndstone, locally known as w e few sof Ham n Melbury, ith som piece Hill i ter ix ed m . 1 27 The interest Ofthis work as a monument of anti qu ity is somewhat detracted fr om by the investigations

m r Rev. . . a l lately ade by the Vica , the J . C M M nse Ple dell who f r fr e y , in o ms the writer that om inquiri s f old made rom people in the village , he finds that “ the cross was restored or rather rebuilt about one r s es f n for s hundred yea ago, the nec sary u ds the purpo e r r being raised by a volunta y ate . Almost all new stone was O ld e work introduced, and the worn ston s, which w w and f ere Ham Hill, taken a ay, the so t green sand or st u so h r stone Melbury sub it ted , t at there appea s an Of S -w f to be hardly y the original tone ork le t . The s restoration is supposed to have been on the old line , new e ofthe the work being an xact replacement old . This is to some extent confirmed by the several pieces ofworked Ham Hill stone built in wit h the r Melbu y . I have been unable to find any mention O f this in e of and can cross eith r the county histories, not understand why so Old and interesting a work asthe a m s h e ee e sa e no origin l u t av b n , should hav e c p d tice .

1 2 8

VILLAGE CROSS IN T NI A SYDL G S . CHOL S

h having been basement steps, although it is ighly probable that a cross with a shaft of such large s w v set on a al dimen ions ould ha e been up c vary . ” Old C e f a The ross Tr e , above re erred to , was w a of venerable elm , with a hollo in the centre cap ble containing several men ; it was blown down in the of 1 880 winter , and replaced by another, which died , ” and the s present tree , a hor e chestnut, was planted 1 0 in the year 90 . f on The village stocks , which ormerly stood the ” d of w east si e the old Cross Tree , ere removed some f f old of time be ore the tree ell . The people the w m m of village can ell reme ber the , and tell a man being placed in them for twelve hoursfor some ff disorderly o ence . - half of About a mile north the village, in ’ m h m of a Hutchins s ti e, t ere stood the re ains nother s s f cross, upon a small hillock at the cro s road rom to f Cerne Abbas Maiden Newton , and rom Sydling

to U . fa Of haf village pper Sydling A r gment the s t, upon one side ofwhich there was a mutilated figure s a 1 of a 1 8 2 . s aint, rem ined above ground in Thi ’ f m was s hasnow rag ent , which called Mat s Cros totally disappeared . In Domesday Book the manor is surveyed in three one of w of parcels, hich belonged to the Abbey 1 30 a a f the now Milton . Pr ctic lly the whole o manor to e belongs Winchester Coll ge . fi' om a a The plate is photograph by Ev ns, e Dorchest r . TARRANT C RAWFO RD

ITU ATE about a m ile from the very interesting O the w ld parish church , at cross roads kno n as ” wf of Cra ord Cross, are the remains what must at one time have been a very fine example ofa wayside cross . They ar e ofHam Hill stone and consist ofa a or -s two fe s e b se socket tone , et five inche squar f and fe w ih on the upper ace , fi t en inches deep ith dicationsof broachesat the angles and a plinth at f the oot . What is l eft of the once handsome square shaft is one foot ten inchesin height and seventeen inches e at e and is a w squar the bas , set diagon lly ith the

s s w a . ocket, being ecurely mortised ith le d Evidences of a once bold moulding or roll at each angle of the s f w s to h the ha t remain , some hat imilar t at on s af e Sturminster Mar hall sh t . The ston s are much w f Ch C orn rom ildren limbing over them . 1 32

TARRANT HINTO N

N a field behind the barn at the manor farm m ay b e seen the socket Ofwhat must have originally been a v m e or sand w ery i portant waysid village cros , hich is i to the s e the sa d have stood at cross road , opposit

f a e r . manor arm, still c ll d Hinton C oss l and con This socket is octagona in its upper bed, e e e e w e v rt d into a squar b lo by bold conv x broaches , ” ar e e the e e w c v d or mould d in c ntr with cla s, similar to those on the bases of the pillarsin the w isf of e church hich ull int rest . The stone m easu restwo feet eleven inches square its e bed and isone f five on upp r oot inches deep . w Firm ly bedded ith lead i nto the m ortise are th e m a sofa s f e ss e re in ha t thirte n inche quar , cut offclean

the f of e , w w h isset a e to ace the sock t ith hic it squ r . ar e ofa en s m a Both gre andstone, si il r to that ofwhich e of is and n the tow r the church built , judg i g from “ ” the very unusual claw carvingson th e broaches 1 34 corresponding with those on the basesof the pillar s the s the in the church , should be about ame date as h he he C t e t . h w . hurch , ich R ctor, Rev E . I H . Smit , s 1 1 80 put at . TARRANT MO NKTON

HE octagonal socket-stone only ofan extremely massive village crosslies in the open space nearly the is i e e d opposite church , but sa d to hav b en move back some feet from itsformer position about thirty r yea s ago . of of a It is Ham Hill stone , with the remains C f m s s e ircular sha t , ea uring ixte n inches in diameter, s e w ecurely mortis d into the socket, run ith lead , and ff w h a o e e e . e sawn v n ther ith The socket, whic is tru s f six h a octagon , mea ures one oot inc es on each oct fa sh of gonal ce , and ows the remains a bold over

hanging drip and a plinth partly buried in the ground . s e is is e The ton considerably worn , but said to hav been in much the same condition during the life of s the olde t inhabitant . a f r E rly ourteenth centu y .

CROSS INCHURCHYARD TODBERE

“

of f . am t u n . v n vine, the Tree Li e I the r e vi e E e the common cable patter n wasso used . In the lower fragment one sees a repeated cross w n a v fis ith vi e l coils, and within the coils a ine lea

s n . fi a ment of t e di cer ible The upper g is the same yp , and f of the s ss may have come rom the side ame cro , l n u l n the reversing spira bei g treated in the sua man er, as a vine . s not C w Runic crosse are uncommon in orn all , and of f n en a are reque t occurr ce in Scotl nd and Ireland , but I have been unable to discover another of this s a e type in Dor et . There are Runic crosses in B kew ll on churchyard, also at Eyam, both in Derbyshire ; each of these vineal coils are cut U pon the front of fts f f the sha in relie , and within the coils is a tre oiled f w si to on f lea , some hat milar that the lower ragment s above described, both these crosse are considered to be Saxon . The little church at Todbere is Of early English C of haracter, consisting a chancel and nave only, with

l ow w on . a to er, the entrance being the south side This Church wasprobably preceded by a chapel of w for earlier date, possibly Saxon , hich may account f Of these ragments early sculptured stones . TYNEHAM

N an angle formed by the meeting of the roads f f rom Tyneham , Cor e and Wareham, is a worked s of tone some antiquity . stwo f It measure eet five inches square at the base, and is nine inches deep . There is a mortise, circular and at the top , but somewhat smaller square at the d s bottom , into which a woo en wayside cros was at o es of now doubtless one time fitted . N v tige it remains . These stone sockets or bases for wooden wayside ss not s cros e are uncommon in ome counties, but the only other instance ofa similar type the wr iter knows “ ’ of in thiscounty is that at Jackman s Cross on G w is f r rimstone Do n, which re erred to in this wo k f under the heading o Stratton . I n Me vestry at Tyneham church isan ancient was stone cross about two fee t I n height . It probably ‘ 39 oss on f in a monumental cr , as it is cut the ollowing scription :

- — I . H . S . R A T A I A. O E P .

Pray for the sou l ofMaster

f r and This certainly re e s to a priest, may probably h m to ave been a to bstone cross Sir Thomas Mohun , of a 1 8 Rector Tyneh m , who died 4 7 .

140

CROSS IN CHURCHYARD WH ITCOMB E

c s . so ket, no lead being u ed It inclines slightly towards eas sto a the t , and appear h ve sunk considerably in the r o of as mo tise, the square p rtion the b e having almost i d sappeared . s l The stone are covered with moss and ichen . The plate is from a photograph by Miss Hilda o P pe .

142

WINTE RBO R NE STIC KLA ND

U R NG of I the restoration the church, which

is late Perpendicular, a rudely sculptured stone s repre enting the Holy Rood , with the Blessed Virgin was Mary and St . John on either side, discovered by

. as Mr W . J . Fletcher, the architect, built into the e t of the s of the wall the porch , on outh side church , e w a fa cover d over ith pl ster. It is badly de ced , but ‘ su flicient is left ofit to show that the Crucifixion is intended to be represented , with St . Mary on the

. the of one side, and St John on other . The figure s is e the Christ, which hangs low on the cros , wrapp d w f of ra in about the loins ith olds d pery . The head be d clinesto the right. The legs appear to crosse in a one e in a cr mped attitude, the over the oth r, such a position that both feet might be transfixed by one h as i . na l Mr . Fletc er gave it his opinion that this s hi f tone , w ch is in shape like hal a tambourine, two f f e one measuring eet our inches at the bas , by 1 43 fo e es e h of a c ot s ven inch at the extrem eight the r h, originally formed the tympanum over the entrance of h t of e r door the porc , and in suppor this th o y it may be mentioned that the flint and stone-work over o s r for s e es r o this ut ide a ch , a pac corr ponding ughly w of e to ith the size the ston , appears have been built in at a different time from the adjoining masonry . There is a bold chamfer ed moulding round the outside Of the carving which would attest to the early date of the work . hes ve - e s a ar e T e car d door h ad , or tymp nums, not i a a e common in this county . There s good ex mpl w s of a a s ithin the outh door T rr nt Ru hton Church ,

' e e s e w of difl er ent and anoth r, p rhap bett r kno n , but ha es and in O s pe and d ig n , probably older date, ver the outside ofthe south door of the church ofFord n on G a f r i t . h r e g St eorge . Bot these ully desc ibed and e e in clearly d lin ated Hutchins . Tile Villa e Cr am — I n the e ofthe e g centr villag , at the of e ad f r f the junction thre ro s, about fi ty ya ds rom C n e th e w of an an e elm hurch, u d r shado ci nt tree sm e x ee f e fe e e si w as o si t n e t in circum r nc , t ll kno n ss e e e st the e s. Cro Tr , ood villag cros The villag s ar e e s ea s tocks said to hav tood n r it on the north ide ,

‘ the culprit sitting on the base ofth e cross when con i ist fined . All that snow left ofthisancient cross h e 1 44