Crosses on Dartmoor Series - Marchant's

Crosses on Dartmoor Series - Marchant's

29.3.09 – Taken with a Kodak 10mp v1003.

Location: On the road from Meavy to Cadover. Just after crossing Marchant’s Bridge over the River Meavy, the cross is up the hill on the left hand side, at the junction with the narrow lane that leads to Yeo Farm.
Grid Ref: 546 668

Purpose: Waymarker on the South Western route of the Abbot’s Way, between the Abbeys of Buckfast and Buckland. It also marks the way of the track from the Augustinian Priory at Plympton to Tavistock Abbey, via the Priory’s manors of Meavy and Sampford Spiney.

Size: 7 feet 10 inches (2.40 metres) tall. 2 feet 3 inches (0.70 metres) across the arms.

Information: This ancient and distinctive looking cross is quite tall and comparatively short across the arms. It is still in quite good condition, the only visible damage being a small piece that has been broken off the under side of one of the arms. There is an incised cross on each face of equal size, measuring 2 feet 3 inches high and 1 foot 2 inches across the arms.

It is thought that the name of ‘Marchants’ is possibly a corruption of the word ‘Merchant’. This being the case, the cross could have been the gift of a trader, perhaps even a wool merchant who would have regularly used this route to Buckland Abbey.

Legend has it that the cross also marks the grave of a suicide. Whilst there is no evidence to support this, it is feasible in that suicides used to be buried away from the centre of the village and often at a crossroads, in order that their spirits become confused as to the direction they should take.

William Crossing recorded the tradition that suggested the cross was in use as a boundary stone, before being brought into service as a waymarker. He also wrote that travellers used to kneel before the cross to pray for a safe journey, before setting out across the moor.

This is one of many photos in the ‘Crosses on Dartmoor’ series, please visit my Bubblesite to view the whole range. A few more examples are shown below:

Crosses on Dartmoor Series - Marchant's belongs to the following groups:

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