Westborough churchyard cross – complete up to its knop
Parish/DistrictWestborough and Dry Doddington/South Kesteven
Locationc.5m south east of the south porch.in the churchyard of All Saints’ Church
CategoryChurchyard cross
National Grid RefSK 85011 44283
DesignationScheduled / Listed II
Stone TypeLimestone
RefsAP Survey 9 Dec 1993; Davies, D S, 1913, Lincs Notes and Queries, Vol XII No.5, p.149 
VisitsAP: 9 Dec 1993 | DS/HH: 10 Mar 2006

There is a particularly fine standing cross at All Saints church, Westborough, which does not appear to have been altered or moved. It is located c. 5m from the south porch and is one of a small group of Lincolnshire crosses (with Bradley and Brinkhill) that seems to have survived intact up to the knop.

J C Nattes drew Westborough church and cross in 1803 and he gives a reasonable depiction of the cross – His drawing shows a cross with one step, a chamfered socket stone and a shaft complete with its original knop.

When surveyed in 2006, the cross included, a plinth (or foundation) with one step, a chamfered socket stone, a tapered shaft complete up to the surviving octagonal knop with just a fragment of the destroyed cross-head still present above the knop.

Davies does not mention the limestone plinth, possibly because it was buried when he visited (c.1913). It is still mostly buried, but is just visible on the north side and appears to cover an area of c.1.5m square. The single step (c.1.4m square and 0.37m high) is set on the plinth – it is constructed of worn limestone blocks which have been repaired with brick and mortar and has a slightly chamfered upper edge.

The socket stone is set on the step. It is c.0.9m square in section at the base and straight-sided to a height of 0.12m, then chamfered to 0.73m square, with lightly chamfered upper corners. It has an eroded upper surface and stands c.0.5m high.

The shaft is set in the centre of the socket stone and is 0.36m square at the base with chamfered corners rising in tapering octagonal section. The knop is also octagonal in section and is moulded; above it is a surviving fragment of the bottom of the head. The full height of the cross is c. 3m.

Detail from J C Nattes 1803 drawing of Westborough church, showing the cross
(c) Lincolnshire Archives

Westborough churchyard cross (left) with detail of the integral knop (below)

Westborough (2)

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