Sleaford market place once had a market cross, to the west of the parish church (Engraving by B. Howlett)
Parish/DistrictSleaford/North Kesteven
Locationon Sleaford market place opposite the NW door of St Denys church
CategoryLost Cross (Market cross)
National Grid RefTF 06837 45890 (vicinity of)
DesignationN/A
Stone Type
RefsWhite’s Directory: Lincolnshire, 1856, p. 431; Trollope, Rev E, 1872, Sleaford etc, p169; Davies, D S, 1913, Lincs N & Q, Vol XII No.5, pp. 146-147
Visits

Sleaford is one of Lincolnshire’s main market towns and was granted a market charter in 1154. There is a sizeable market place to the west of the church with documentary reports of a market cross of c.1575, removed around 1800.

Sleaford market cross is mentioned in White’s 1856 Lincolnshire Directory, but the best description comes from Revd E Trollope’s (1872) book of Sleaford. He writes: [The Market Place] …consists of a large open space in the heart of the town, adjoining two of its principal streets, … . Formerly a Market Cross stood here nearly opposite to the north west door of the church. It consisted, as usual, of several steps, a base, on the sides of which were carved shields, each bearing a saltire between 4 roundels with the date 1575, and a shaft springing from it. This cross was removed about 70 years ago, when for a time the base was preserved in the church, but has now disappeared. Near to it strangely stood the Stocks and Whipping Post.

This same information is repeated by Davies (1913).

On 4 June 1922, a war memorial in the form of a standing cross was unveiled in the centre of Sleaford market place – quite close to where the Sleaford market cross must once have stood.

Sleaford market cross was removed c.1800, but in 1922 a new standing cross was erected near the location of the original, to serve as a war memorial. (Photo: Michael Garlick)
Sleaford (1)

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