Site Event/Activity record ECH5631 - Cluelow Cross - Site visit ahead of Higher Level Stewardship application

I have now been out and had a look at the site (photos attached). Cleulow high cross is a rare example of a nearly complete Anglo Saxon high cross in its original position. It is sited on a spur overlooking the valley of the Shell Brook and is an example of a kind known locally as a late Mercian round shaft cross, dating from the late ninth or early tenth century. It is one of a group of round shafts in this region, including one at Swythamley Hall to the south and three from Ridge Hall Farm to the north, but these have since been removed from their original location and are now (sadly) in a children's playground in Macclesfield West Park. The crosses were markers for a boundary along the hillsides above the Cheshire Plain and defined the early medieval estate and parish of Prestbury. All of the above serves to stress the significance and importance of the location and setting of the Cleulow cross. It is likely that it would not originally have been among trees, as part of the idea would have been its visibility standing on the top of the mound. However the spinney now around it probably does provide some protection from the wind and may well reduce the rate of erosion. For this reason we are content that it should remain in mature woodland but, equally, we would agree with you that any trees close to the cross that are in any danger of falling should be carefully removed or pruned to ensure that that does not happen. On-going management will be needed and hopefully this can be included in the HLS scheme. All the trees are located outside the scheduled area (which extends two meters out from the base of the cross) and the work would not impact on the monument, so you do not need to get scheduled monument consent for it. But do please make sure the contractors are highly competent and are fully informed of the significance of the cross and its protected status. Regarding other aspects of management: it seemed to me that stock (not sure if this is cattle or sheep?) had been congregating around the cross and that this may be the reason for your suggestion for fencing it off. The problem with doing this is that there will be lots of woody regeneration within the fenced off area as it would no longer be grazed, and this could be at least as damaging to the cross as the stock and would, eventually, obscure it from view. In addition, the fencing itself would detract substantially from the quite dramatic and impressive view that the Cross currently provides. For these reasons I would advise against fencing off the cross. I note, however, that there is the remains of a stone wall around the base of the mound / woodland and it could be beneficial for this to be re-built, perhaps allowing the wooded mound to be lightly grazed preferably by smaller animals that would not be able to do any damage but would control the vegetation.