Ancient and High Crosses of Cornwall: Cornwall's Earliest, Tallest and Finest Medieval Stone Crosses

Winner of the Holyer an Gof Award 2022 (Leisure and Lifestyle) An illustrated guide to one hundred of the finest early Cornish stone crosses, dating from around AD 900 to 1300. These characteristic features of the Cornish landscape are splendid examples of their type, exhibiting a wide geographical spread and a certain weather-beaten beauty. The medieval stone crosses of Cornwall have long been objects of curiosity both for residents and visitors. This is the first ever accessible volume on the subject, combining detailed description and discussion of the crosses with information on access, colour images and suggestions for further reading. An approachable but academically rigorous work, it includes analysis of the decorative designs and sculptural techniques, accompanied by high-quality photographs which illustrate the subtleties of each cross, often hard to discern in situ. Ancient and High Crosses of Cornwall offers an ideal introduction for the general reader but will also prove essential to local historians, landscape historians, archaeologists and anyone working in the area of Cornish studies or connected with the Cornish diaspora. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47788/NKIP4746

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements   Introduction Historical overview Inscriptions on the crosses Cornish groups or schools of stone sculpture Dating the monuments Function of the crosses Antiquarian study and restoration Glossary Using this book to visit crosses A note on photography   Catalogue of Crosses Advent, Tresinney St Allen St Blazey, Biscovey Blisland, St Pratt’s Cross Bodmin, Carminow Breage St Breock, Whitecross St Breward 1 St Breward 2 St Breward 3, Middle Moor Cross St Buryan 1 St Buryan 2, Crows an Wra Camborne 1, Fenton-Ia Camborne 2, Gwealavellan Cardinham 1 Cardinham 2 Cardinham 3, Treslea St Cleer 1, Doniert Stone St Cleer 2, Other Half Stone St Cleer 3, Long Tom St Cleer 4, Holy Well St Clement St Clether, Cross Gates St Columb Major Constantine 1, Trewardreva Constantine 2, Trevease Cury St Dennis Egloshayle 1, Pencarrow Egloshayle 2, Three Hole Cross Egloshayle 3, The Prior’s Cross St Endellion, Long Cross St Erth 1 St Erth 2 St Ewe, Lanhadron Feock Fowey, Tristan Stone St Germans, Carracawn Cross Gerrans Gulval 1 Gulval 2 Gwinear 1, Connor Downs Gwinear 2, Lanherne Cross St Juliot St Just-in-Penwith St Kew 1, Job’s Cross St Kew 2, Polrode Cross Laneast 1 Laneast 2, Laneast Downs Lanhydrock 1 Lanhydrock 2, Treffry Lanivet 1 Lanivet 2 Lanivet 3, Lesquite Lanlivery, Milltown Lanteglos by Camelford 1 Lanteglos by Camelford 2 Lelant Lesnewth St Levan Lostwithiel, Crewel Cross Ludgvan Mabe, Helland Madron 1, Boscathnoe Madron 2, Boswarthen Menheniot, Tencreek Michaelstow St Michael’s Mount Minster, Waterpit Down St Minver, St Michael Porthilly Mullion, Predannack Mylor St Neot 1, 2 St Neot 3, Four Hole Cross Padstow 1 Padstow 2 Padstow 3, Prideaux Place Paul 1 Paul 2 Paul 3, Kerris, Carlankan Pelynt, Trelay Penzance, Market Cross Perranzabuloe, St Piran’s Cross 203 Phillack 206 Quethiock 208 Roche 210 Sancreed 1 212 Sancreed 2 214 Sancreed 3, Brane 218 Sennen, Trevear 220 South Petherwin, Holyway Cross 222 Stithians, Tretheague 224 St Teath 226 Tintagel 1 229 Tintagel 2, Bossiney 232 Truro 234 Wendron 1 236 Wendron 2, Meruny 237 Wendron 3, Merther Uny 238 St Wenn, Crossy Ann   Parish Pages St Allen St Buryan St Clether Lanivet Lanteglos by Camelford Lelant Ludgvan St Neot   Notes Bibliography Index  

About the Author :
Ann Preston-Jones has an extensive knowledge of the county’s archaeology, with over thirty years’ experience working for Historic England and Cornwall Archaeological Unit. Her experience is mostly in the care, conservation and management of those sites which make Cornwall special and she has a particular passion for sculptured stone monuments.  Andrew Langdon has been recording and researching the stone crosses of Cornwall, as well as medieval ecclesiastical monuments more generally, throughout his lifetime, beginning when he was still at school. He has written extensively on the crosses and has much practical experience in their repair and restoration.   Elisabeth Okasha spent most of her working life in University College Cork, retiring as professor emerita. Her research interests and publications are mainly in the area of early medieval inscriptions, covering those in Anglo-Saxon England, Cornwall, Pictland and Ireland.

Review :
A precious volume, to be bought and used by all who cherish Cornwall and her past.  With its well-illustrated, information-packed catalogue and good bibliography for further reading, this volume is an excellent invitation to both specialist and the uninitiated to explore the earliest, tallest and finest medieval crosses of Cornwall, and I certainly intend to try it out.