Kettlethorpe churchyard cross was restored to make a village war memorial in 1919
Parish/DistrictKettlethorpe/West Lindsey
Locationc. 9m south of the nave of St Peter and St Paul’s Church
CategoryChurchyard cross (restored as a war memorial)
National Grid RefSK 84821 75679
DesignationScheduled / Listed II
Stone TypeLimestone
RefsAP Survey 22 Jan 1998; Davies, D S, 1915, Lincs N & Q, Vol XIII No.5, p.157; Credland, M, 2014, First World War Memorials of Lincs, p.115
VisitsAP: 22 Jan 1998 | DS/HH: 13 Nov 2000

J C Nattes drew Kettlethorpe churchyard cross c.1800 and shows a plain but sturdy shaft. It was restored to be the village war memorial in 1919, although the names of the fallen are inscribed on tablets in the church, and not on the cross itself.

Davies gives a record of the cross prior to restoration, noting: On the south side of the church stands the ancient cross made up of three steps, base and shaft. The first or lowest step is nearly buried in the ground, it measures 8 ft. sq.,[2.44m] the second step is 5 ft. 6 ins. sq. [1.68m] and 11 ins, deep, the third step 4 ft. sq. [1.22m] and 10 ins, deep, the stones forming the steps are loose. The base is 34 ins. sq. [0.86m] and 22 ins, [0.56m] deep, the corners being chamfered, the shaft is 50 ins, [1.27m]  long and more massive than usual measuring 18 ins [0.46m], by 14. ins, [0.35m] above base.

These dimensions are very similar to those recorded by Alison Peach in 1998 and suggest that the steps, socket stone and lower shaft are probably still the medieval originals. Added in the 1919 restoration, are a modern concrete base, and the restored upper shaft and cross head.

As Davies notes, the shaft is unusually massive but sadly the restorers (Tuttell & Son, Lincoln) have eschewed the opportunity to restore this splendid example and have, rather oddly, fastened a much slenderer shaft onto this chunky stump.

Nattes drew Kettlethorpe cross c.1800 – it was restored as a war memorial in 1919
Kettlethorpe – An opportunity missed, to restore this splendid shaft
Kettlethorpe

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