Remains of Sibsey churchyard cross by the south door of St Margaret’s church
Parish/DistrictSibsey/East Lindsey
Locationin the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, c.4m south of the south porch (in line with the door)
CategoryChurchyard cross
National Grid RefTF 35447 50725
DesignationScheduled / Listed II
Stone TypeLimestone
RefsAP Survey: 20 Dec 1993; Davies, D S, 1915, Lincs N & Q, Vol XIII No.6, p.212
VisitsAP: 20 Dec 1993 | DS/HH: not visited | DS: 27 July 2024

There is a churchyard cross directly in line with the doorway of St Margaret’s church at Sibsey. It has a socket stone, which is set on a lower stone (or a plinth), with a portion of shaft surviving.

The base is formed from two stones: the lower stone, which is partially buried, is a plinth with a slight chamfer; it is c.0.84m square and stands about 0.15m above present ground level (actual depth unknown). The upper stone is the socket stone: c.0.71m square with chamfered upper corners and standing to a height of 0.28m. The shaft fragment is set into the centre of the socket stone with lead and is rectangular (0.35m x 0.3m) at the base rising through chamfered and stopped corners in tapering octagonal section to a height of c.0.45m. The top of the shaft fragment is cut straight, with a single central hole.

A newspaper report of 13 November 1920 proposed to restore the Sibsey cross for a war memorial – but it seems this did not happen as Sibsey war memorial, a brand-new standing cross manufactured by monumental masons Thomas Kent of Boston, was unveiled on 11 November 1921. The old cross base is still in situ.

A newspaper report of 10 Feb 1934 announced that a cross head had been ploughed up in a nearby field and returned to Sibsey church. This stone has not yet been seen or recorded.

The Sibsey socket stone is set on a lower plinth/stone
Sibsey – top of the shaft with a single central hole
Sibsey – the shaft is set in lead and has pyramidal stops

The Boston Guardian of 13 November 1920 (left) proposed that the cross should converted to form a war memorial – but this did not happen.

On 10 Feb 1934 (below) the Boston Guardian reported that a cross head had been found.

Sibsey

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