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Since the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine the cross 
has been publicly used as an emblem of Christianity. The early 
Christian Missionaries had crosses carried in advance of their bands 
and erected them at the spot where it was their wont to preach 
to the heathen population. It was also their custom to mark the 
Druidical temples and other pagan erections with the sign of the 
cross, and thus sanctify and dedicate them to the worship of the 
true God. During the middle ages thousands of these crosses 
were erected throughout the length and breadth of the land in 
different situations and for different purposes, some of which are 
set forth in the following quotation from a writer in ‘‘ Notes and 
Queries ’’ :—‘* Wherever the gospel was first spread, a pious care 
caused crosses to be erected as standards, around which the 
faithful might assemble the more conveniently to hear the divine 
truths inculeated, and by degrees these symbols were fixed in 
every place of public resort. Every town had its cross at which 
engagements, whether of a religious or of a worldly interest, were 
entered into. Every churchyard had one whereon to rest the 
bodies of the deceased, from which the preacher gave his lessons 
upon the mutability of life. At the turning of every road was 
placed a cross for the twofold purpose of rest for the bearers of 
the pious defunct, and for reminding travellers of the Saviour 
who died for their salvation. The boundaries of every parish 
were distinguished by crosses, at which, during the ancient 
perambulations, the people alternately prayed and regaled them- 
selves. Crosses, in short, were multiplied by every means which 
the ingenuity of man could invent, and people were thus kept in 
constant remembrance, both at home and on their journeys, as 
well as in every transaction of their lives, of the foundation of 
the Christian faith.” Although the writer of that paragraph, in 
my opinion, attributes a too universal distribution to these 
memorials, still they were no doubt so numerous that we can 
form little conception now of the extent to which they were at one 
time spread throughout the country. Specimens of nearly every 
variety will be found within our own district, and it is intended 
to treat each class in turn, first giving a few general introductory 
remarks, and afterwards describing our local examples. 
THE ‘‘ GODLY LANE’’ CROSS, BURNLEY, AND THE WHALLEY CROSSES. 
It is proposed first to consider the Godly Lane Cross, and 
along with it the crosses in the churchyard at Whalley, for there 
can be little doubt that they had a common origin, as may be 
inferred from their similarity in outline, and they have been so 
classed by almost all writers upon the subject. They may with- 
out much doubt be ascribed to the early missionary enterprizes 
of the 7th century; but in order to obtain a clearer idea of their 
origin it will be well to take a rapid glance at the progress of 
