Parts of a standing cross found in 1973 near the Red Lion Inn, Pinchbeck, now displayed in the War Memorial garden opposite the church.
Parish/DistrictPinchbeck/South Holland
LocationCross fragments found near Red Lion Inn, Glenside North in 1973 – now displayed in Memorial Ground
CategoryMarket Cross (?)
National Grid RefOriginally found in vicinity TF 22961 25875
Moved to TF 24111 25578 for display
DesignationNone
Stone TypeLimestone
RefsDavies, D S, 1915, Lincs N & Q, Vol XIII No.6, p.176;  Bray, t, 2005, Remembrance of Times Past, p. 27
VisitsDS/HH: 17 Jan 2006

Pinchbeck was an important fenland market place and has a market charter from 1318. Parts of a stone cross were were discovered buried in the dyke bank near to the site of the Red Lion Inn at Glenside North (Northgate) during works in 1973. The finder (Tom Bray) suggests these are parts of Pinchbeck’s market cross. Two fragments were recovered and taken for display in the war memorial garden opposite the church, where they can still be seen today. One is clearly a portion of shaft, the other is of unknown function – possibly part of a stepped base. An inscription on the shaft reads: Fragments of shaft and stepped base from a medieval cross which once stood at Northgate Pinchbeck.

It is also suggested that there was a fish and fowl market at Mill Green, Pinchbeck, and that a market cross known as the Fish Cross was erected there.

Both these locations are some distance away from the village centre and seem unlikely to have been markets – Bray also suggests that a market was held by the Bell Inn on Church Street (just north of the church) – which is a far more likely location for a market. He speculates that the cross shaft found at Northgate may have originated here.

Davies comments that there is a lane called Crossgate Lane to the north of the church, although this could refer to crossroads rather than a standing cross.

Report of the discovery of the Pinchbeck cross shaft in the Lincolnshire Free Press, 17 April 1973
Detail of the Pinchbeck Cross Shaft – the inscription reads: Fragments of shaft and stepped base from a medieval cross which once stood at Northgate Pinchbeck
Pinchbeck (1)

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