Stone Crosses in Standish

Thursday 27th May, 2010

A 1906 book, “The Ancient Crosses and Holy Wells Of Lancashire”, written by Henry Taylor, lists a number of stone crosses associated with Standish.

One, however, named “Kirk Lane Cross”, is described as being a quarter of a mile north of the “Hic Bibi” well and is therefore not in Standish – the “Hic Bibi” brook, near which the well stood, marks the northern boundary of the village.

It is interesting to surmise the reasons for the crosses in Standish.

Taylor classifies the uses of the Lancashire crosses in the following way:

1. preaching crosses;
2. churchyard crosses;
3. roadside or weeping crosses;
4. market and proclamation crosses;
5. boundary crosses and meare stones;
6. the cross at cross roads;
7. crosses at holy wells;
8. sanctuary crosses;
9. crosses as guide posts, memorial, and murder crosses.

The only Standish cross whose purpose is self evident is the market cross. This stands in the old market place outside St. Wilfrid's Church. The cross itself is relatively modern but the steps which surround it are thought to be ancient. Near the cross stands a well and a set of stocks.

Taylor surmises that the name “Cross Hey Wood”, which lies about a mile north of St. Wilfrid's, is indicative of the former presence of a cross in that area.

He states:

“The words 'Cross Hey Wood' occur on the map on the bridle road which marks the track of the Roman Road. Doubtless the name indicates the existence at one time of an ancient cross, probably used as a resting-place for funeral processions to Standish.”

He offers no other evidence to support his theory, so I think his use of the word “doubtless” is a little unwise. A more likely explanation is that the wood was named after the Cross family who lived at nearby “Cross Farm”. The schedule associated with the 1763 Standish Manor Map, names Ralph Cross as the lessee at that time.

Taylor supplies surer evidence for the former existence of crosses in north Standish when he quotes from the Chartulary of Cockersand Abbey. The following extracts from a designation of donated Standish land from circa 1220-1240 is firm evidence of the existence of crosses in the area at that time; although it is debatable as to whether or not these were made of stone:

“Grant in frankalmoign(e) from Richard, son of Siward de Langtree (to the Canons of Cockersand) of a portion of his land in Langtree within these bounds ... and so going up a certain shady place between Little-croft and crosses, unto the cross on the western side of that land, to wit, on the highest point and so going round that land on the north side as the ground lies where crosses have been placed …”

None of these crosses now remain.

In the south of Standish, however, can still be seen the pedestals of three stone crosses.

The Ornance Survey map (first edition) of 1846 shows a “pedestal of a stone cross” near the junction of Green Lane and School Lane. This has since been moved to the other end of Green Lane – on the opposite side to its junction with Westmead. The “Sites and Monuments Records”, now named “Heritage Environment Records” (HER), describes this as a “post Norman cross”.

Nearby, another stands off Beech Walk, on the track which leads down to Standish Hall farm. HER describes this as a “post medieval cross”.

A third is located by the side of Standish Wood Lane.

It is difficult to determine the purpose of these three crosses. Those in Green Lane and Beech Walk may have marked cross roads or T junctions but there is no real evidence for this. The cross in Standish Wood Lane does not stand at any road junctions past or present.

I'm tempted to think that all three were boundary markers of some form or another. I've searched the Cockersand Chartulary but have not found any designation of property for that area. It may be that the Chartulary is not complete, or the crosses may have marked some other church land.

Local legend states that this stone, which stands near St. Marie's Church at the junction of Almond Brook Road and Beech Walk, is the top of one of the Standish crosses. A close inspection shows that this is not the case – the relative proportions are wrong. The structure is probably a mounting block - a block of stone from which to mount a horse.