| Parish/District | Navenby/North Kesteven |
| Location | On the south side of St Peter’s church, set on its side on a slab |
| Category | Market cross (now churchyard cross) |
| National Grid Ref | Now at c. SK 98654 57829 |
| Designation | None |
| Stone Type | Limestone |
| Refs | White’s 1856 Directory, pp. 337-8 |
| Visits | DS: Apr 1995 | DS/HH: 24 August 2012 |
There is a socket stone situated on the south side of St Peter’s church, Navenby. It is mounted on its side on a slab set into the ground and it seems likely it has been brought into the churchyard from elsewhere for display or safe keeping. There is a note in Hilary’s records: ‘Old maps show cross near Church Lane Junction‘ but this is not visible on 1st ed. O.S.
The stone is 0.66 x 0.60m by 0.39m high and has a rectangular socket cut into it (not quite centrally) that is 0.34 x 0.25m by 0.15m deep. A slight recess has been cut into the base of the stone but it is otherwise plain, with no features, except that one side is marked with diagonal grooves.
Navenby had a market charter from at least 1221 and White’s Directory of 1856 (pp. 337-8) records: The market was held on Thursday, but was discontinued many years ago; though the ancient cross, covered with a spiral roof, was standing till a few years ago, when it was taken down. No illustrations of this cross are known, but it seems likely that this socket could be a last remnant of it.
In March 2015, when building work was being carried out in Navenby, several pieces of octagonal stone column (possibly parts of a cross shaft?) were discovered. See photo. However, they are square cut at the ends, and perhaps unlikely to be cross components.
