Ludford cross – A socket stone and a fragment of octagonal shaft
Parish/DistrictLudford/East Lindsey
LocationJust inside the gate, on the left, in the churchyard of St Mary and St Peter
CategoryChurchyard cross
National Grid RefTF 20044 89232
DesignationListed II
Stone TypeLimestone
RefsHER and List description – not mentioned by Davies
VisitsDS/HH: 23 Aug 2007 / DS 4 Feb 2025

A cross base and portion of an octagonal shaft lie on the left hand side of the path, just inside the gate of St Mary and St Peter’s churchyard at Ludford. The socket stone is c.0.74m square and 0.45m high, with a deep chamfer on the top edge.

The socket stone looks to have a round socket which is only c.0.15m deep – unusual both for shape (almost all socket stones have square sockets) and for depth, as 15cms is very shallow for a socket. There may be a plinth (visible just on the south side) but this is unsure without some excavation.

A newspaper report of 27 October 1928 (see below) records that the Revd T W Pritchard noticed this socket stone reused in the boundary wall of the adjacent White Hart pub, and had it removed and placed in the churchyard.

It is unlikely that it was originally part of a churchyard cross. It may belong to a village cross or a market cross – Ludford may have had a market, as a charter was granted in 1252 to the Prior and Convent of Sixhills Priory (two miles away) for a Thursday market to be held at the Manor.

The portion of octagonal shaft standing next to the socket stone is c.0.42m across by 0.3m high. It is unlikely to be associated with the socket stone, and the same newspaper report cited above suggests it may be one of the ‘fluted stones’ derived from the lost church of Ludford Parva – Ludford was once split into two parishes – Ludford Magna to the east and Ludford Parva to the west – All is now known as Ludford.

The Ludford socket stone appears to have a circular socket – which seems too shallow
Ludford – Piece of octagonal shaft
The Louth Standard of 27 Oct 1928 (p.2 col.1) records the finding and moving of the Ludford socket stone and gives a possible origin for the portion of octagonal shaft standing nearby

Ludford

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