Monument record 1159 - Fragment of a Sixteenth Century Plague Cross

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 1130474 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Fragment of a square stone shaft on stone base. Date uncertain but probably not earlier than 1559 when the first major outbreak of 'plague' to be recorded occured in the town.

<2> Cartildge, Rev. J.E. Gordon, 1915, Newbold Astbury and Its History, p.186 (Book). SCH2249.

‘…At the juncture of four roads known as Astbury Marsh, there stands, enclosed in a cottage garden on the Astbury side of the brook which passes through and forms the boundary of the Parish, a plague stone, used for the washing and exchange of money during the plague. It is three feet two inches in height, the shaft, which is hollowed out at the top, being twenty inches in height. The base, which is a rough block of stone, is about thirty inches in length. Its presence in the garden, which is attached to a modern dwelling, may be due to the intaking of a portion of the space formerly constituting the cross-road area…’

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ86 SW4 1964 (Index). SCH2487.

The remains consist of a crude socket stone with a fragment of shaft. There is no base. They are in a private garden [Rigg J, F.I., 20/03/1962].

<4> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Crowe C 1994 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The cross is at present in a garden. It is undoubtedly medieval and survives as a base with part of the shaft. It was oved twenty-five metres from its original location by the brook on the old parish boundary on the Kingsway to Congleton. It is one of three known crosses in the parish the others were at Dairybrook bridge and Scholar Green. Both of these are now at Rode Hall.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8461, 1875 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

This map depicts a boundary stone at this location.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8461, 1897 (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

This map depicts a cross at this location.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1909-1912, Ordnance Survey Second Revision County Series (Epoch 3) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8461, 1909 (Maps and Plans). SCH4361.

This map depicts the remains of a cross at this location.

<8> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R 28/08/2019 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

Sources (6), (7) & (9) are not very clear, (9) being the best. It is probably from this lack of clarity that the suggestion in (4) that the cross has been moved derives.

<9> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 123/2, 1845 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

The tithe map does not depict the cross.