The cross at Geddington has withstood the ravages of time and has been
disturbed less by restoration than the others. Its design differs
greatly from that of the other remaining crosses, but it is so elegant
in spite of its unusual structure, that it is very unfortunate that we
have now no knowledge of its builders. No mention is made of Geddington
Cross, nor of Stamford, nor Grantham in the Queen’s executry accounts.
These Rolls, however, are not extant later than the year 1294. It is
possible, therefore, that these three crosses were built a year or two
later than the others.
[Illustration:
FIG. 15.
The Cross at Northampton in the eighteenth century, subsequent to an
unhappy “restoration,” which resulted in a wooden cross being
erected on the summit. Published by the Society of Antiquaries:
drawn by Schnebbelie, engraved by Basire: _Vetusta Monumenta_, iii,
plate xii, 1791.
]
The cross stands in the middle of the village, where the main road from
Stamford to Northampton turns in a southerly direction to pass over the
old bridge across the small river Ise. There is here a widening of the
road caused by the junction of a road from the east, allowing of a clear
space, so that the cross is well seen from all sides. The cross itself
rises from a platform led up to by a series of eight steps, arranged in
hexagonal form. It is exceptional in being triangular in section. The
first story consists of three faces, each face being divided by firm
mouldings into four panels. These panels show a beautiful example of
stone carving in various diaper designs. Even now the effect is rich,
but before the outlines had faded, the diaper work must have shown great
firmness and strength. The upper panels of the lower story present the
shields bearing alternately the arms of England, Castile and Leon
quarterly, and Ponthieu, as in the case of the other crosses. The second
story also gives the effect of a triangular outline, the angles
corresponding with the middle of each side of the lower story. At each
angle rises a beautifully moulded pillar which, with similar pillars
from the other sides, support the series of canopies sheltering the
three statues of the Queen. These tabernacles are richly ornamented in
the characteristic style of decoration of the period. The third story
continues the main column of the cross upwards, and consists of a
cluster of pillars ending in decorated finials, repeating the designs of
the tabernacle work below. The column may have been originally
surmounted by a cross. Fortunately no attempt has yet been made to
replace the terminal feature. The triangular design of the cross gives a
very curious effect when it is looked at from certain directions. It
will be evident that when seen from a line parallel to one of the faces
of the second story, the whole of the cross presents a lop-sided aspect.
Its symmetry of outline becomes obvious on changing the point of view a
little to one side or the other.
Geddington Cross, like the others, suffered not only by exposure to the
elements, but perhaps even more by neglect and wilful damage. It is
mentioned that in ancient times, during the rough sports which were held
on Easter Monday, it was the custom to catch squirrels in the
neighbouring woods and turn them loose in the neighbourhood of the
cross. The little animals naturally took refuge in its crevices and
corners, whereupon the mob attempted to destroy the squirrels by stoning
them, and many a decorated finial and beautiful piece of foliage must
have been shattered on those days.
On the south side of the steps leading to the cross is a spring of water
evidently used from time immemorial by the inhabitants. It is now
covered in by a small square-headed stone cistern. This cross
fortunately escaped the ruin which befell so many of the other memorial
crosses during the Civil War. It was restored in 1868, and repairs were
judiciously carried out in 1890.[47]
Footnote 47:
_Cf._ “The Stone Crosses of the County of Northampton.” Christopher A.
Markham. Northampton: Joseph Tebbutt, 1901.