Monument record MDO1718 - Medieval cross, Minterne Parva

The remains of a 15th-century wayside cross. The whole is set on an earth bank a few metres east of the centre of the road junction where it may formerly have been situated on a grass plot, but in 1902 was at its present position.

The original position of the cross was probably at the triangular piece of ground formed by the main road and the two ways leading into the Buckland road. <3>

This medieval wayside cross comprises a stump of shaft 0.3m square and 0.8m high which has split vertically and been repaired with cement. It is not set in a base with plinth but in a single block socket stone, 0.9m square and 0.6m high, the corners being broached to form an octagonal top. At some time this stone has fractured horizontally and also been repaired with cement. The whole is set on an earth bank a few metres E of the centre of the road junction where it may formerly have been situated on a grass plot, but in 1902 (1) was at its present position at ST 66420343. Positioned at 1:2500. <4>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey map 6 inches to 1 mile, 1902 (Map). SDO17338.

(ST 66420343) Cross (NR)

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 1, 50 (Monograph). SDO146.

‘(3) WAYSIDE CROSS (66430345), at Minterne Parva, is probably of the 15th century. It now consists of a stone plinth, 3 ft. square and 1 ft. 3 ins. High, upon which rests an octagonal base, 3 ft. across and 6 ins. High, into which is morticed the stump of a shaft, 1 ft. 3 ins. Square on plan and 2 ft. 4 ins. High. Vertical grooves suggest that the shaft had a moulded standard at each corner.’

<3> Pope, A, 1906, Old Stone Crosses of Dorset, 72-73 (Bibliographic reference). SWX1408.

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, 21-OCT-76 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 198924 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 24 2021 3:48PM