Great Steeping cross base – carvings of a lion (left corner) and ox (right corner) can be seen. (Photo: AP)
Parish/DistrictGreat Steeping/East Lindsey
Locationc. 10m south of the nave of the old church (formerly All Saints) at Great Steeping
CategoryChurchyard cross
National Grid RefTF 43478 63921
DesignationScheduled
Stone typeLimestone
RefsAP survey 19 Oct 1994; Davies, D. S., 1915, Lincs N & Q, Vol XIII No.5, p.148.
VisitsAP 19 Oct 1994 | DS/HH 30 Jan 2001

Great Steeping has an important cross base in the churchyard which is in poor condition and in need of detailed recording.

The socket stone is about 10m south of the centre of the nave.  It is c. 0.8m square in section, now partially buried and standing to a height of about 0.3m above the present ground surface. At each corner is a complete winged figure carved in deep relief symbolising one of the four evangelists: on the north east corner a man (St Matthew), on the south east an ox (St Luke), on the south west a lion (St Mark) and on the north west an eagle (St John). Carved on the middle of each side, between the figures, is a plain shield. The socket stone is broken into two pieces, slightly parted, and in the top is a rectangular socket filled with two small fragments of limestone which represent the base of the shaft.

Lying on the ground surface adjacent to the east side of the cross is a loose fragment of a cross-shaft, 0.66m long, made of sandstone; this piece is not considered to have been an original part of the cross.

In my notes of 23 years ago, I comment ‘definitely needs drawing’ – Sadly that is still true!

Great Steeping cross base – the carving of a man can be made out on the NE corner. A fragment of sandstone shaft lies next to the base. It is not thought to belong to this cross. (Photo: A P)
Great Steeping

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