Parish/DistrictAncaster/South Kesteven
Locationon east side of Ermine Street (now B6403) in the town centre
CategoryMarket cross
National Grid RefSK 98405 43843
DesignationScheduled / Listed (II)
Stone typeunknown
RefsAP Survey 29 Nov 1993; Davies, D S, 1913, Lincs N & Q, Vol XII No.5, pp. 129-150
VisitsAP: 29 Nov 1993 | DS/HH: 10 March 2006

Ancaster was awarded a market charter in 1203 and this cross, located at the side Ancaster’s wide Main Street (which is Roman Ermine Street), is probably Ancaster’s market cross . . . and indeed, that is what it is called by Ancastrians. It is probably at, or close to, its original location.

It comprises a much eroded socket-stone which protrudes through the modern tarmac and holds a repaired fragment of shaft broken into three pieces. The most recent damage occurred in 1999 when a vehicle collided with the cross breaking the upper shaft portion. Following that incident the monument was enclosed within four sturdy stone pillars which have recently been replaced with timber posts. It is interesting to note that in 1913, Davies commented ‘We should like to see this cross better protected’ (Davies, 1913 p.132).

The socket-stone is a very worn limestone slab of roughly rectangular section. Its corners are moulded and chamfered, rising to a top of irregular octagonal section. The best preserved corner is on the north west, which is carved to form a simple bulb shape, the other three corners are more worn and damaged and it is unclear  whether they were once more elaborately carved. The socket is square and contains the shaft which tapers upwards in a rounded form, probably once octagonal. About 1.1m (check) of the repaired shaft survives. On the eastern face of the lower fragment of shaft is a broad vertical groove which does not now align with a similar groove on the upper shaft probably due to misalignment during repairs.

The scars of many past collisions are clear on the Ancaster cross stump
Ancaster Cross in 1963 (photo H Healey)
Ancaster

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