Although the symbol itself is pre-christian, relics of old stone crosses that scatter Britain, generally relate to a period in history when the christian cult was sweeping the landscape and afflicting the lives of indigenous people. The archaeological stone crosses that remain tended to be positioned where earlier heathen sites were found – and as a result of this, it’s important to include them on TNA as relics marking an attempt to alter human animistic relationships with the land, to an increasingly desacralized one. These stone relics took various forms, each relating to the function of the site it meant to supplant or impress: market crosses, boundary crosses, village crosses, wayside crosses, etc.
CROSSES: Bibliography & References
Site Name |
Species |
Grid-Reference / What3Words |
| Abbey Cross, Whitby, North Yorkshire | Cross | NZ 90242 11300 |
| Abel Cross, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire | ||
| Acrehowe Cross, Baildon Moor, West Yorkshire | Cross (destroyed) | SE 14390 40601 |
| Adam’s Cross, Saddleworth Moor, Lancashire | ||
| Adamnan’s Cross, Camusvrachan, Glen Lyon, Perthshire | Cross-marked Standing Stone | NN 62537 47690 |
| Annel Cross, Twiston, Lancashire | ||
| Annot Cross, Lane Bottom, Brierfield, Lancashire | Cross (destroyed) | c. SD 881 353 |
| Apeland Cross, Hedon, East Yorkshire | ||
| Atis Cross, Flint, Flintshire | Cross (destroyed) | SJ 2534 7208 |
| Banbury Cross, Banbury, Oxfordshire | Cross | SP 45323 40397 |
| Barley Cross, Richmond, North Yorkshire | Cross (destroyed) | NZ 1709 0085 |
| Barton Cross, Barton, Lancashire | Wayside Cross | SD 53502 37332 |
| Bingley Cross, West Yorkshire | Market Cross | |
| Black Knoll Cross, Morton Moor, West Yorkshire | Cross (remains) | SE 1034 4465 |
| Blacko Cross, Barrowford, Lancashire | ||
| Boskenna Cross, St. Buryan, Cornwall | Wayside Cross | SW 42579 24266 |
| Bradshaw Cross, Nether Wyresdale, Lancashire | Wayside Cross | SD 52474 51414 |
| Bread Cross, Banbury, Oxfordshire | ||
| Broken Cross, Westminster, London, Middlesex | Cross (destroyed) | TQ 322 812 |
| Butt Yeats Cross, Hornby, Lancashire | ||
| Butter Cross, Richmond, North Yorkshire | ||
| Byrnand Hall Cross, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire | Wayside Cross (destroyed) | SE 3519 5694 |
| Catshaw Cross, Thurlstone, South Yorkshire | ||
| Church Cross, Newchurch-in-Pendle, Lancashire | ||
| Churchyard Cross, Hornsea, East Yorkshire | ||
| Churchyard Cross, Lower Dowdeswell, Gloucestershire | Cross (destroyed) | SP 001 199 |
| Churchyard Cross, Prestbury, Lancashire | Cross (remnant) | SJ 9007 7692 |
| Churchyard Cross, St. Briavel’s, Gloucestershire | Cross (destroyed) | SO 559 047 |
| Coombe Hill Cross, Wycoller, Lancashire | Cross | SD 95586 38608 |
| Corwen, Denbighshire, Wales | Cross + Cup-Marked Stone | SJ 0787 4340 |
| Cow Cross, Finsbury, London, Middlesex | Cross (destroyed) | TQ 3180 8181 |
| Cow and Calf Stones, East Bierley, West Yorkshire | Crosses / Legendary Rocks (destroyed) | SE 1975 2909 |
| Cowcliffe Cross, Fartown, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire | Cross-base | SE 13949 18935 |
| Cowper’s Cross, Ilkley Moor, West Yorkshire | Wayside Cross | SE 10223 45609 |
| The Cross, Gussage All Saints, Dorset | Cross (destroyed) | ST 999 108 |
| Cross Gates Cross, Slaidburn, Lancashire | Wayside Cross (base) | SD 70039 53609 |
| Crowan, Kerrier, Cornwall | Cross (remains) | SW 6456 3449 |
| Curwen Hall Cross, Hornby, Lancashire | ||
| Dawes Cross, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire | Cross (destroyed) | TL 455 578 |
| Deighton Cross, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire | ||
| Dull, Aberfeldy, Perthshire | Cross | NN 80710 49136 |
| Duncroisk Crosses Stone, Glen Lochay, Killin, Perthshire | Petroglyphs | NN 53258 36436 |
| Dyke Nook Cross, Clitheroe, Lancashire | ||
| East Riddlesden, Keighley, West Yorkshire | Cross (remnants) | SE 079 421 |
| Eastwoods Cross, Summerbridge, North Yorkshire | Cross Base + Cup-Marked Stone | SE 18506 62013 |
| Eaves Green Cross, Goosnargh, Lancashire | Cross | SD 56770 37765 |
| Emmott Cross, Colne, Lancashire | Cross | SD 888 401 |
| Exley Head Cross, Keighley, West Yorkshire | Cross base | SE 04818 40146 |
| Eyam Cross, Eyam, Derbyshire | Cross | SK 2178 7639 |
| Fairy Hill Cross, Rishworth Moor, West Yorkshire | Cross | |
| Fearby Cross, Masham, North Yorkshire | Cross (remnants) | SE 1984 8127 |
| Foldys Cross, Towneley, Burnley, Lancashire | Cross | SD 8523 3066 |
| Golcar Cross, West Yorkshire | ||
| Great Puddingstone Cross, Harrogate, North Yorkshire | ||
| Greystone Cross, Blacko, Barrowford, Lancashire | ||
| Grimeford Cross, Adlington, Lancashire | Cross | SD 6200 1284 |
| Handsome Cross, High Bradfield, South Yorkshire | Cross (destroyed) | SK 2612 9417 |
| Hangman’s Bank, Preston, Lancashire | ||
| Hawk Hill, Alloa, Clackmannanshire | Cross | NS 90135 92660 |
| Headless Cross, Grimeford – a.k.a Grimeford Cross | ||
| Hebden Wood, Slack, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire | Cross | |
| Herders Cross, Wycoller, Lancashire | Cross | SD 94057 39369 |
| High Cross, Aberford, West Yorkshire | Cross (destroyed) | SE 433 390 |
| High Cross, Elkstone, Gloucestershire | Cross (destroyed) | SO 9674 1321 |
| High Cross, Shrewsbury, Shropshire | Cross (destroyed) | SJ 492 126 |
| High Cross, Tottenham, London, Middlesex | Cross | TQ 33781 89561 |
| Hill Chapel Cross, Goosnargh, Lancashire | Wayside Cross | SD 57273 38505 |
| Idol Cross, Cornholme – a.k.a Mount Cross | ||
| Ilkley Crosses, West Yorkshire | Crosses | |
| Keighley Cross, West Yorkshire – see Market Cross, Keighley | ||
| Killingbeck Cross, Leeds, West Yorkshire | Cross (destroyed) | SE 3071 3463 |
| Kilnsea Cross, Hedon, East Yorkshire | ||
| Laycock Cross, Keighley, West Yorkshire | ||
| Lilla Cross, Fylingdales Moor, North Yorkshire | Cross | SE 88923 98686 |
| Lytham Cross, Lytham, Lancashire | Wayside Cross | SD 3603 2718 |
| Maen Achwyfan, Whitford, Flintshire | Cross | SJ 129 788 |
| Maiden or Tailor’s Cross, Foulridge, Lancashire | Cross | SD 890 423 |
| Maiden Cross, Mereclough, Burnley, Lancashire | Cross (replaced) | SD 8936 2883 |
| Market Cross, Aynho, Northamptonshire | Cross (destroyed) | SP 514 332 |
| Market Cross, Baildon, West Yorkshire | Cross | SE 15475 39743 |
| Market Cross, Bradford, West Yorkshire | Cross | |
| Market Cross, Elstow, Bedfordshire | Cross | TL 04864 47498 |
| Market Cross, Glanton, Northumberland | Cross (destroyed) | NU 0708 1445 |
| Market Cross, Glastonbury, Somerset | Cross | ST 49875 38924 |
| Market Cross, Halesowen, Worcestershire | Cross | SO 9666 8356 |
| Market Cross, Harewood, West Yorkshire | Cross (destroyed) | SE 3224 4498 |
| Market Cross, Hastings, Sussex | Cross (destroyed) | TQ 828 099 |
| Market Cross, Hedon, East Yorkshire | Cross | |
| Market Cross, Highburton, West Yorkshire | Cross | |
| Market Cross, Kincardine, Fife | Cross | NS 93120 87515 |
| Market Cross, Keighley, West Yorkshire | Cross | SE 06042 41002 |
| Market Cross, Lechlade-on-Thames, Gloucestershire | Cross (destroyed) | SU 214 995 |
| Market Cross, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire | Cross | SJ 84857 45979 |
| Market Cross, Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire | Cross | |
| Market Cross, Richmond, North Yorkshire | Cross | |
| Market Cross, Skipton, North Yorkshire | Cross | |
| Market Cross, Thornton-le-Dale, North Yorkshire | Cross | SE 8340 8304 |
| Marsden Heights Cross, Nelson, Lancashire | ||
| Marsh Cross, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire | ||
| Maudlin Cross, Hedon, East Yorkshire | ||
| Mercat Cross, Alloa – a.k.a Town Cross | ||
| Mercat Cross, Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire | Cross | NS 91109 91890 |
| Mercat Cross, Doune, Perthshire | Cross | NN 72704 01570 |
| Mercat Cross, Stirling, Stirlingshire | Cross | |
| Mitton Church Cross, Great Mitton, Lancashire | Cross | SD 7154 3896 |
| Mitton Green, Great Mitton, Lancashire | Cross | SD 71217 39613 |
| Mount Cross, Cornholme, West Yorkshire | Cross | SD 91460 27280 |
| Netherurd Mains, Kirkurd, Peeblesshire | Cross | NT 1041 4403 |
| Nick o’ Pendle Cross, Sabden, Lancashire | ||
| Oat Cross, Richmond, North Yorkshire | ||
| Old Market Cross, Sedbergh, Cumbria | Cross (destroyed) | SD 6573 9212 |
| Oxenhope Cross, West Yorkshire | Cross | SE 03111 35206 |
| Pendle Cross, Newchurch-in-Pendle, Lancashire | ||
| Pillar of Eliseg, Pentrefelin, Llangollen, Denbighshire | Cross | SJ 20267 44522 |
| Plague Stone, Adel, Leeds, West Yorkshire | Cross base | |
| Port Cross, Port of Menteith, Stirlingshire | Cross / Sacred Tree | NN 581 012 |
| Ralph’s Cross, Westerdale Moor, North Yorkshire | Cross | NZ 67724 02092 |
| Ratten Clough Cross, Emmott Moor, Lancashire | Cross base | SD 93997 39746 |
| Reap’s Cross, Heptonstall Moor, West Yorkshire | Cross | SD 94360 30269 |
| Reva Hill, Hawksworth, West Yorkshire | Cross | SE 15297 42972 |
| Rocester Church Cross, Staffordshire | Cross | SK 11170 39394 |
| St. Andrew’s Cross, Dunfermline, Fife | Cross (destroyed) | NT 1017 8630 |
| St. Fumack’s Cross, Botriphnie, Banffshire | Cross (destroyed) | NJ 3755 4408 |
| St. James Church, Burton-in-Kendal, Cumbria | Cross | SD 5305 7692 |
| St. James’ Cross, Barton-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire | Cross (destroyed) | TA 0424 2064 |
| St. Matthew’s Church, Rastrick, West Yorkshire | Cross | |
| St. Paul’s Cross, London, Middlesex | Cross | |
| St. Peter’s Cross, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire | Cross | SJ 8792 4521 |
| Salford Cross, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire | Cross + Cup-Marked Stone | SP 28644 28058 |
| Sepulchre Cross, Hedon, East Yorkshire | ||
| Shay Cross, Wiswell, Lancashire | ||
| Slaithwaite Cross, West Yorkshire | Cross (missing) | SE 077 139? |
| Stob Cross, Markinch, Fife | Wayside Cross | NO 29607 02202 |
| Stockham Cross, Hedon, East Yorkshire | ||
| Strand Cross, Westminster, London, Middlesex | Cross (destroyed) | TQ 3077 8093 |
| Stump Cross, Bramley, Leeds, West Yorkshire | Cross (destroyed) | SE 2546 3537 |
| Stump Cross, Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire | Cross | |
| Stump Cross, Goosnargh, Lancashire | Wayside Cross | SD 57287 37421 |
| Stump Cross, Haworth, West Yorkshire | ||
| Stump’s Cross, Temple Guiting, Gloucestershire | ||
| Swastika Stone, Kirkurd – a.k.a Netherurd Mains, Peeblesshire | ||
| Swinden Cross, Foulridge, Colne, Lancashire | Cross | SD 878 409 |
| Thursday Market Cross, York, North Yorkshire | Cross (destroyed) | SE 603 519 |
| Tinker Cross, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire | Cross | |
| Tom Cross, Colne, Lancashire | Cross | SD 92102 43175 |
| Tom Cross, Laneshaw Bridge, Lancashire | ||
| Town Cross, Alloa, Clackmannanshire | Cross | NS 88559 92686 |
| Town Cross, Kendal, Westmorland | Cross (destroyed) | SD 5152 9280 |
| Twiers Cross, Hedon, East Yorkshire | ||
| Upper Cross, Newchurch-in-Pendle, Lancashire | ||
| Village Cross, Deerhurst, Gloucestershire | Cross (destroyed) | SO 870 299 |
| Village Cross, Leighterton, Gloucestershire | Cross (destroyed) | ST 824 910 |
| Village Cross, Powerstock, Dorset | Cross (destroyed) | SY 5167 9622 |
| Water Sheddles Cross, Oakworth Moor, West Yorkshire | Cross / Standing Stone | SD 9711 3826 |
| Wayside Cross, Hornsea, East Yorkshire | ||
| Whalley Crosses, Lancashire | Crosses | SD 7326 3616 |
| Wheat Cross, Richmond, North Yorkshire | ||
| White Cross, Banbury, Oxfordshire | ||
| Withgill Cross, Great Mitton, Lancashire | Cross base | SD 7060 4062 |