Relocated Roadside Cross - Lea Town, UK - Christian Crosses on Waymarking.com

In the UK and especially Lancashire Roadside crosses were often boundary markers for abbey lands but were also known as ‘coffin stones’, as they were used as resting-places when coffin-bearers had a particularly long walk to the church. link

As time went by many of the crosses were moved or destroyed. In the early 20th Century Thomas Myers who lived nearby and his wife campaigned to restore them and this cross was moved to a site near in 1920 and a plaque erected.

The cross was moved again in 2002 and placed on a new base. The original plaque is now in The Lancashire Social History Museum. The base of the cross now has a replica of the original plaque, and a new plaque with details of the recent move.

Text on original plaque.

TO THE GLORY OF GOD
AND IN MEMORY OF
THE PIONEER OF RESTORATION
OF ROADSIDE CROSSES
THOMAS HARRISON MYERS
OF LEA LODGE
AND OF
CATHERINE MARY
HIS WIFE
THE BASE OF THIS CROSS ORIGINALLY
STOOD 20 YARDS WEST OF THIS
SPOT AND WAS REMOVED HERE
AND DEDICATED ON JULY 8 1920

The text on the new plaque

THIS ROADSIDE CROSS WAS DEDICATED
FOLLOWING RELOCATION BY ENGLISH
PARTNERSHIPS IN MARCH 2002.
IT PREVIOUSLY STOOD WITH ITS PALQUE
IN THE VERGE OF LEA ROAD
SOME 24 METRES SSW.

THE CROSS ORIGINALLY STOOD IN THE
FRONT OF LEA LODGE AND WAS MOVED
AS DESCRIBED ON THE ADJACENT
REPLICA PLAQUE

THE ORIGINAL PLAQUE IS IN THE
LANCASHIRE SOCIAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Type of cross: Latin cross Material used: Stone (granite, sandstone, marble, ...) Characteristics of this cross: Simple old stone cross that was relocated to this site and placed on a new stone base. Describe the location: At the junction of Lea Road and Cottam Way Is this cross commemorative ?: No Year of manufacture: Not listed

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