The imposing market cross at Ewerby is well known, but there is also a lost churchyard cross, recorded by Trollope (p.365) – see Ewerby (2) – the next gazetteer entry

Ewerby market cross stands to the west of the church on what was once a green. This impressive cross is mostly modern restoration, but the socket stone may be original.

Parish/DistrictEwerby and Evedon/North Kesteven
LocationOn a small green by Main Street, west of St Andrew’s church
CategoryMarket cross
National Grid RefTF 12109 47290
Designation Scheduled / Listed II
Stone typeLimestone
RefsAP Survey 1 Dec 1993; D. S. Davies, 1913, Lincs Notes &Queries Vol XII No.5 p,140;
VisitsAP: 1 Dec 1993 | DS/HH: 24 Aug 2012

Ewerby was granted a market charter in 1254, so it is right to think of the village’s impressive cross as a market, rather than village, cross. Trollope (p.365) also notes a churchyard cross – now lost (see Ewerby (2)).

Ewerby market cross has a circular base of seven steps, principally constructed of limestone blocks. Step heights are: 6th=0.25m; 5th=0.24m; 4th=0.25m; 3rd=0.24m; 2nd=0.19m; top=0.15m. The lowest step is partially submerged by rising ground on the east side of the monument, but is visible on the west. The cross occupies a circular area c. 4.5m in diameter. All three lower steps are medieval in date with 19th- and 20th-century alterations. The four upper steps are entirely modern and date from the 19th-century restoration. On the uppermost step rests the socket-stone, a large square slab with moulded and chamfered corners. There is a small cross inscribed into the western face of the socket-stone, dating from the 19th-century restoration. Set into the middle of the socket-stone is the shaft, a modern addition, square in section at the base with chamfered corners tapering upwards in octagonal section, and terminating in a simple chamfered octagonal top. The full height of the cross is approximately 4m.

Pevsner (and the listing) give the restoration date as 1908, but the Sleaford Gazette of 6 August 1898 (p.5 c.6) suggests the steps were restored in 1897, as part of the Jubilee celebrations, and that the new shaft and cross head arrived, and were installed, in August 1898. The report notes that a few days after installation, the cross head was blown down and smashed in a gale. It was never replaced.

Storm damage also occurred in February 1990 and the current shaft dates from recent repairs following this incident.

Ewerby church and cross c.1940
Ewerby market cross demolished by a tree blown down in the great gale of February 1999 – it was repaired and a new shaft fitted
Ewerby (1)

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