St Mary’s church, Pinchbeck – there is a possible socket stone near the porch
Parish/DistrictPinchbeck/South Holland
Locationthe ‘Sexton stone’, a possible socket stone – near the porch of St Mary’s
CategoryChurchyard Cross (?)
National Grid RefVicinity of TF 24189 25575
DesignationNone
Stone TypeLimestone
RefsDavies, D S, 1915, Lincs N & Q, Vol XIII No.6, p.176;  Bray, t, 2005, Remembrance of Times Past, p. xx
VisitsDS/HH: 17 Jan 2006

The Lincs HER records that there is the base of a medieval stone cross at St Mary’s church, Pinchbeck, but the NGR given is not very useful and there is no description. Davies notes: ‘There is a tradition of a cross having once stood in the churchyard, but when it disappeared is unknown’ so it seems he saw no trace of it in 1915. Tom Bray (2005) reports a ‘Sexton stone’,  north west of the door, where it was said the sexton stood to read the notices for the week. He also gives a photograph which looks as if this might be an octagonal socket stone.

Hilary and I visited the church on 17 January 2006, but did not look for the ‘Sexton stone’, thus we have no record of it. Another visit is clearly necessary.

Description of the Sexton Stone at St Mary’s church, from Tom Bray’s book ‘Remembrance of Times Past’
Pinchbeck (2)

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