Waithe churchyard cross – only the socket stone is medieval
Parish/DistrictWaithe/East Lindsey
Locationin the churchyard of St Martin’s Church to the south west of the south porch
CategoryChurchyard cross
National Grid RefTA 28373 00692
DesignationScheduled / Listed II
Stone TypeLimestone
RefsAP Survey 23 Jan 1998; Davies, D S, 1915, Lincs Notes and Queries, Vol XIII No.6, p.223
VisitsAP: 23 Jan 1998 | DS/HH: 7 Sept 2009

Archdeacon Bonney visited Waithe on 6 August 1846 and recorded: ‘The remains of the cross on S. side of the ch. yard.’ (p.54)

James Fowler restored Waithe church in 1861 and is presumed to have restored the churchyard cross during the process. The only medieval parts to survive are the socket stone, and possibly parts of the lowest step.

The cross has been restored on three steps although there is no knowing if the original had three steps. They are square in plan and are: 1st; 2.8m square, 2nd; 1.8m square and third (top); 1.42m. The lowest of these steps is made of much older stone than the top two which are clearly much newer.

The medieval socket stone is a single block of rectangular section (0.82m x 0.76m by 0.5m high) with chamfered upper corners and pointed stops. The socket is rectangular, 0.3m (E-W) by 0.33m (N-S).

All of the shaft and the top is modern; it comprises an octagonal tapering shaft with a quatrefoil annular capital, circular abacus and quatrefoil cross with Crucifixion. The full height of the shaft and head is approximately 3.3m.

Waithe Churchyard cross – detail of the socket stone
Waithe

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