<< Our Photo Pages >> Billesdon Cross - Ancient Cross in England in Leicestershire and Rutland
Submitted by Anne T on Tuesday, 26 June 2018 Page Views: 1259
Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: Billesdon CrossCountry: England County: Leicestershire and Rutland Type: Ancient Cross
Nearest Town: Market Harborough Nearest Village: Billesdon
Map Ref: SK7191302822
Latitude: 52.618415N Longitude: 0.939228W
Condition:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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ChristopherJones visited on 15th Dec 2019 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 5
This grade II listed cross stands in the old market place, now the village green, in the centre of Billesdon village. Its use as a market cross is dated to the 13th or 14th century, although is now has modern additions, and a cast iron sign next to the cross proclaims: "The ancient monument has a shaft of Barnack stone which predates its use as a market cross. The finial is now restored to that shown in the earliest known illustration c1791". The village is recorded in the Domesday book; its original name was 'Billesdone'.
This cross is ecorded as Pastscape Monument No. 321233 and scheduled as Historic England List ID 1014514. An extract from the HE entry reads: "(the monument is made up of) a base, consisting of a plinth, a medieval socket stone and a modern socket stone, the shaft and a cross-head. It is probably 13th or 14th century in origin and has modern additions. The plinth, which is 1.2m square in plan, is constructed of separate blocks of stone and is of modern date. Resting on the plinth is what is believed to be the original medieval socket stone. It is also square in section with a rounded upper edge and is now surmounted by a modern cube-like socket stone. Set into the centre of this modern socket stone is the shaft, approximately 2m high, with a tapering square section and roll mouldings applied to each angle. The head of the cross takes the form of a fleur-de-lys and is thought to be 19th century in date. The full height of the cross is approximately 3.5m." Nearby is a now derelict Prisoner of War camp, now transformed into a nature park/walk, which is interesting to walk through. The 13th/14th century church of St. John The Baptist is almost due south of the cross, up the hill.
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