Remains of an ancient churchyard cross in a Northamptonshire churchyard.
The churchyard cross, or preaching cross as it is often known, became established in England long before the construction of the church buildings that we see today. Itinerant preachers, sent out into the English settlements by the Minsters that they represented, travelled throughout the country as early as the 6th century visiting towns and villages extolling the virtues of Christianity.
Gradually as the 6th and 7th centuries progressed a wood preaching cross began to appear where people regularly gathered to worship.
Inevitably, as time passed, the early wood crosses were replaced with more permanent structures made from stone where Masses were held and burials in unmarked graves took place. This was the origin of the churchyard that we recognise today. A few centuries later the village church building itself would be constructed close to the cross, and the combination of church, churchyard and churchyard cross would be complete.
Pre-medieval times saw the design of the top of the churchyard cross fall into two characteristic styles; the ‘wheel-head’ and the ‘cross-head’. Although a large number of stone crosses were surmounted with a ‘wheel-head’, (many of which have survived intact in Wales and the south-west of England), the majority would have been topped with a simple cruciform shape – the ‘cross-head’.
During medieval times, a third design of cross head known as the ‘tabernacle’ became popular across England. The ‘tabernacle-cross’ sanctified the churchyard and provided a visual memorial to all those people who had been buried without grave markers of any kind. As strange as it may seem to us today, anonymous burial was commonplace at that time as gravestones did not come into general usage until the early 17th century.
Religious activities were not the sole focus of the churchyard cross. During threats of invasion, at times of war or civil unrest, it was around the ancient cross that the local militia would assemble. Likewise it was the logical rendezvous point for parishioners to gather to hear proclamations and news of the births, deaths and marriages of royalty.
Proclamations announced by the King’s messenger were also delivered from the church pulpit.
Sadly, many complete medieval crosses in England have not survived the centuries. Due to the destructive actions against any icon of Catholicism following the Reformation of the 16th century, vandalism perpetrated during the English Civil War, and 17th century legislation requiring all remaining cross shafts to be reduced in height to no more four feet six inches (1m 37cm), it is surprising that any have survived at all.
Dating a particular cross with absolute certainty is somewhat difficult at the best of times. Since the end of the World War One, many churchyards now possess a war memorial which adds slightly to the confusion. Though in this particular instance the ‘newness’ of the stonework soon becomes obvious.
In a few rare cases it may be that what appears to be a churchyard cross, is in fact a market cross. Business was often carried out within the boundaries of the village churchyard in medieval times. Also, a small number of market crosses have been moved from towns and villages for environmental reasons – such as the threat from road widening.
Churchyard crosses, in whatever form they take, are as important to the history of the English church as the religious buildings themselves; providing one more priceless artefact that links the present to the past.
For more information and useful links about the history of the English Village Church, please visit the English Parish Churches website.
Further church-related articles by Charles Moorhen: