17(> The Bristol High Cross at Stourhead, Wilts. 



wide reputation of Sir li. C. Hoare has overshadowed the con- 

 siderable antiquarian tastes and capabilities of his father, as evinced 

 in this and the similar work of removing to Stourhead, in 1765, 

 the building known as S. Peter's Pump, from the south-west corner 

 of Peter Street, Bristol (where it, in 1633, superseded the ancient 

 openwork cross erected by Spencer, Mayor of Bristol, in 1474). 

 This he erected about a mile higher up the valley at the extreme 

 source of the Stour. It is not recorded how these two relics came 

 to be presented to Mr. Ploare ; the fact proves that his influence at 

 Bristol was considerable. 



The stone used, both in the work of 1373 and that of 1633, is a 

 Bath oolite — apparently from Combe Down. In the rebuilding 

 Mr. Hoare substituted a large core of Chilmark stone for the 

 original central shaft of the lower open stage, presumably for 

 increased stability. Unfortunately, in his zeal to still further 

 strengthen the structure, he made the great mistake of freely 

 employing iron for dowels, cramps, and tie-rods ; a central rod of 

 iron being carried up through the core of the upper stage and the 

 spirelet. This had the most disastrous results, the stone becoming 

 split and fractured in all directions from the expansion of the iron 

 by oxidation ; this, together with the fall of a tree against the 

 Cross in recent times, had rendered the condition of the fabric 

 most perilous, and many of the more delicate portions had become 

 lost. At the time when the fall of the Cross appeared to be immi- 

 nent Sir H. H. A. Hoare succeeded to the Stourhead estate (July, 

 1894), and one of his first acts of ownership was to take steps to 

 ascertain its condition and render it secure. The work was placed 

 under the care of the writer, who had examined the Cross from a 

 scaffold prepared for the purpose, and its execution was entrusted 

 to Messrs. Hems & Sons, of Exeter. 



The Cross was strongly shored and supported by iron girders, 

 resting on concrete foundations, and the stonework was preserved 

 intact, as far as possible ; but it was found absolutely necessary to 

 rebuild it from the point D upwards ; this was done stone for stone 

 as it originally existed, and the remainder carefully repaired, and 

 copper cramps substituted for iron. 



