Celtic Cross, Gibbets Hill - Surrey, UK
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Superted
N 51° 06.936 W 000° 42.973
30U E 659844 N 5665160
A cross on top of Gibbet Hill. The origin of the cross is disputed. It is on the site of a former gibbet where criminals were hanged.
Waymark Code: WM9PZ1
Location: South East England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/16/2010
Views: 5
Gibbet Hill, at Hindhead, Surrey, is a hill above the Devil's Punch Bowl, not far from the A3 London to Portsmouth road.
On the summit of Gibbet Hill stands a Celtic cross that was erected there in the 19th century. In one account the cross was erected in 1851 by Sir William Erle to dispel the fears of the local residents about evil spirits. The area was one of disrepute due to the activities of highwaymen and robbers, the corpses of three of whom were formerly displayed there on a gibbet as punishment for their crimes. Another account has the cross as Erle's unmarked memorial erected after his death.
Type of cross: Celtic cross
Material used: Stone (granite, sandstone, marble, ...)
Characteristics of this cross:
9 meters high embedded into the rock. Around the base of the cross are four Latin inscriptions.
Describe the location:
A clearing on top of the wooded Gibbets Hill
Year of manufacture: 01/01/1851
Is this cross commemorative ?: Yes
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Visit Instructions:
Post at least one photograph of this cross.