A HISTORY OF CORNWALL 



In those cases, however, where the churchyard and other crosses bear 

 inscriptions the object is different, as they are thus shown to be 

 commemorative. 



With regard to the geographical distribution of the crosses, they 

 are as a whole more numerous in the west of the county, and, like the 

 inscribed stones, gradually diminish in number towards the east, the 

 north-east of the county being practically devoid of them. 



The material of the crosses is almost exclusively moorland or surface 

 granite, but in a few cases grey or white elvan 1 has been employed and 

 has proved to be an infinitely better material. 



Very little had been done up to recent years in recording or illus- 

 trating the Cornish crosses. In the Gentleman's Magazine for 1805 is a 

 curious plate 8 illustrating eleven 'Ancient Crosses in Cornwall,' but the 

 sketches are very poor and convey little idea of the originals. The brief 

 letterpress is interesting, and the article has resulted in the discovery of 

 ' Kill Boy ' Cross, referred to in it, which had been missing for years. 

 Samuel Lysons, in his Magna Britannia, vol. iii (1814), produced a plate 

 illustrating those at Temple Moor, Roche churchyard, one in Sancreed 

 churchyard, and Lanherne; he also mentions the two in Lanivet church- 

 yard, and describes the inscribed cross-base at Redgate. 



J. T. Blight's Crosses and Antiquities of Cornwall (18528) was up to 

 that time the most complete work on the subject. He illustrated 107 

 of the early crosses and mentioned the existence of some sixty others. 

 Not the least valuable portion of his book lies in the information giving 

 the position of several of the stones, as some have since been moved and 

 others have entirely disappeared. 



There are good illustrations of some of the crosses, drawn by the 

 Rev. W. Jago, of Bodmin, in Sir John Maclean's Deanery of Trigg Minor 

 (1868-79). 



In 1896 my Old Cornish Crosses was published, containing 281 

 illustrations of the crosses and descriptions of nearly sixty others. By 

 means of rubbings most of the interlaced ornament, etc. upon them, 

 hitherto unknown, was revealed. The book also contains illustrations of 

 the coped stones, and early cross slabs. 



Since 1845 several papers on the crosses have appeared from time 

 to time in the journals of various archaeological societies, amongst 

 which may be mentioned Archaeologia Cambrensis, the Archaeological 

 Journal, and the Journal of the British Archaeological Association, 



The crosses may be divided broadly into two classes, Unornamented 

 and Ornamented. Coped stones and early cross slabs, both of which 

 belong to the same period, may be taken with the crosses, and it will be 

 expedient to define the types, giving lists illustrating typical examples of 

 each kind under consideration, arranging them in order according to 

 their state of development. But it must be clearly understood at the 

 outset that no two crosses are exactly alike : they simply possess certain 



1 Elvan is the local name for trap dykes. 



* The Catholick Miscellany of February, 1827, reproduced almost the same plate, omitting one stone. 



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