| Summary : Two crosses in the churchyard of Saint Bartholomew, Lady Godiva's cross is south of the church and a Medieval cross, originally overlaying, is now located west of the church. Lady Godiva's cross is of stepped form and is pre-Norman in date. The steps are circular in plan and are all partly bonded with mortar. The socket stone is also circular but is damaged. Part of the square socket still survives in the centre, with part of a stone peg in the socket. The cross was uncovered in 1912, during restoration of a medieval cross, which stood above the pre-Norman cross on the same site, It was consolidated in situ and presented for display in a stone revetted pit, 0.85 metres deep to the base of the bottom step of the cross. The pit sides form the edge of the monument. The cross is Scheduled and Listed Grade II. The overlaying Medieval cross base, probably of 13th century date was moved to approximately 5m west of the church itself and a modern shaft and lantern cross added. The base is of ashlar, with three square steps. The shaft is tapered and chamfered and the lantern head has four niches with crocketed gables and a short cross on top; the niches contain figures of Our Lady and child, the Crucifixion, Saints Mary and John and possibly Saints Chad and Bartholomew. |
More information : (SO 8945 9527) Cross (NR) (Remains of) (1)
In 1912 a set of steps and the broken off stump of a cross was
discovered buried in the churchyard. It had probably been buried in
1200 when the foundations of the Church (SO 89 NE 13) were being
laid. There can be no doubt that this is Lady Godiva's Cross dating
from about 1050 AD. It is now enclosed with chains and a plate bears
the inscription "This preaching cross was erected by Lady Godiva,
Lady of the Manor of Nether Penn and wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia.
Itinerant priests of Dudley Priory provided occasional services,
until Sir Hugh de Bushbury built the Church c1200". (2)
The preaching cross is within a circular pit lined with stone, and
comprises a circular calvary of three steps, 3.0m in diameter, 0.6m
high, surmounted by a circular cross base, 0.8m in diam, 0.4m high,
in the 0.3m square socket of which is the possible remnant of a cross
shaft. The sandstone of which the cross is made, is badly weathered.
A plate affixed to the church S wall reads as given by Authy 2.
At SO 8943 9528, 20.0m to the NW by the churchyard gate, is a
restored churchyard cross, comprising a calvary of three square steps
the lowest, 3.0m square, surmounted by a Md cross base, square to
octagonal, within which is socketed a shaft surmounted by a lantern
cross, both modern. A plate affixed below slates that the cross was
removed from the S side of the church in 1912 when it was found to be
covering a still earlier churchyard cross.
Crosses resurveyed at 1:1250. (3)
No change to previous field report. 1:1250 resurvey of 15.3.74
still correct. Transferred to MSD. (4)
|