| Parish/District | Caythorpe/South Kesteven |
| Location | c. 5m SE of south porch of St Vincent’s church |
| Category | Churchyard cross |
| National Grid Ref | SK 93889 48550 |
| Designation | Scheduled; Listed II |
| Stone type | Limestone |
| Refs | Davies, Lincs N & Q, Vol 12 | AP Survey 29 Nov 1993 |
| Visits | AP: 29 Nov 1993 | DS/HH: 10 May 2006 |
Caythorpe churchyard cross is c. 5m south of the south porch of St Vincent’s church. It was restored in 1906, but some parts of the medieval fabric are retained.
The cross base stands on three steps, most of which are restored/modern. There is a chamfered plinth below the lowest step. Davies (1912) gives the dimensions of the steps as follows: – 1st step 8ft. 5½ins. sq. by 12½ ins. high; 2nd step 6ft 4ins square by 9½ inches high; 3rd step 4ft 3ins square by 8½ inches high; Cross Base, 31 inches square by 19 inches high.
The second step bears an inscription on its western face: “In memory of many who without name rest here in God’s most holy keeping. This cross restored AD 1906.”
The three steps are of mixed stone types. The top step is of different stone to the others but the same type as the socket stone – possibly an original redressed for restoration? The socket stone is square with unusual chamfers/stops at the corners forming knobs. (see AP sketch) There are pairs of small holes on the top of the socket stone on each side, some filled in.
The shaft is square, chamfered to octagonal. The lower section of the shaft (0.87m) is probably original (it is obviously older) but it does not fit the socket stone at all well. There are small holes on the E and W faces of the shaft.
The restored head of the cross is in the form of a gabled canopy with figures (including St Vincent).
There is a Nattes drawing of Caythorpe cross in 1805. It has the same format as the existing cross with three broad steps, a socket stone and a fragment of shaft. It is depicted next to a set of stocks, suggesting this is a village/market cross rather than a churchyard cross.
There are references (in NMR and HER) to a village cross ‘near the Eight Bells Inn‘ and ‘on Friston or Freiston Green‘ which was removed by the Lord of the Manor around 1841. Also, in a booklet on the church by Jill Russell (1990) it is said that the original parts of the cross are from the ‘Butter Cross’ from the market place and brought here in 1906. It seems likely that this churchyard cross has been ‘rehomed’ to the churchyard from the village green in the later 19th century with a significant restoration taking place in 1906.
