By the Rev. E. P. Kmibley, M.A., Vicar. 185 



It is now time to say something about the cross which has served 

 as a peg on which to hang these remarks. The present structure, 

 though probably on the site of the old staple founded in the year 

 A.D. 1071, has no work about it earlier in character than the 

 seventeenth century, and the date 1679, cut on it, probably refers 

 to the entire pedestal and column to the top of the capital ; but 

 the " vase," or cube, on which the sundials are marked, together 

 with the ball and surmounting cross and crown of wrought iron- 

 work, are later, and were probably added at the time of the repair 

 recorded as having been made in 1714. The later stonework is 

 plainer in its treatment than the rest, and was probably intended 

 for the painting which appears on the whole. The dials are painted 

 white with black figures, and the ball red, white, and blue. Some 

 repairs were executed in 1782, but it is not known of what they 

 consisted. In 1820 a deep plinth composed of very thin ashlar 

 appears to have been put to take the place of the steps, probably 

 removed because they were in the way, and the base of the column 

 itself was cut away where broken. The cost of these alterations 

 amounted to £15. In 1887, as a memorial of the jubilee of Queen 

 Victoria's reign, the cross was once more repaired at a cost of 

 £38 under the direction and guidance of Mr. C. E. Pouting, F.S.A., 

 of whose notes I have availed myself. The plinth and step of 

 1820 were removed ; the original moulded plinth was restored, one 

 deep and one thinner step were built of Portland stone, as indicated 

 in a picture of the market cross engraved by J. Storer for the 

 Antiquarian and Topographical Cabinet from a drawing by S. Prout, 

 and published in December, 1809. The sundials and ball were 

 also painted and the wrought ironwork renewed. 



Within a few feet of the market cross is the Guard House, or, 

 as it is locally called, the Blind House — from the fact that it has 

 no window. This structure, which is octagonal, and about 9ft. in 

 diameter by 12ft. in height, was erected in 1773 at a cost of £19 18s. 

 by one William Rawlins. There is now no trace of the stocks, 

 which also formerly occupied a place on the village green. 



