The Headless Cross

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There are those that will say how the area of Foxtor Mires is a godless place but actually it is studded with 4 crosses along its southern fringes. Well to be precise there are two traditional granite crosses (Childe's Tomb and Goldsmith's), one miniature metal cross (Northmore's) and the 'Headless Cross' which isn't a cross it's a granite pillar. Nevertheless upon the north-western face of the pillar is an incised cross which in Dartmoor terms puts it squarely in the classification of a cross.

Just to confuse things a bit the actual pillar goes by two common names - the 'Headless Cross' and 'Whealam Bottom Cross' and in one instance Crane Hill Cross although the former tends to be the more favoured appellation. Headless Cross needs no explanation except to say it refers to the fact that there is no cross on the presumed shaft. Whealam Bottom Cross takes a bit more explaining because nowhere on the OS map will you find reference to Whealam Bottom. The actual place-name is a shortened and mutated form of Wheal Anne Bottom which alludes to the nearby tin workings of an old medieval mine, hence the element - Wheal. The Bottom element is a Dartmoor term which refers to a deep valley hence the 'valley of Wheal Anne'.

However, according to Brewer (2001, p.279) it is just possible that the cross did have a head at one time. He cites a report in the 1901 Transactions of the Devonshire Association where a certain Dr. Prowse claims to have found a stone that appeared to be part of the cross head. There is very little further information regarding this matter except that the 'possible' fragment of the head went missing sometime in the 1950s. He further suggests that the pillar may have served as a boundary marker although it is unlikely that it was a monastic wayside cross although it may have belonged to the restored Hutchinson's Cross. Harrison (2001 pp. 73-4) also concurs that it is very doubtful if the pillar was ever intended to be a tradition cross or possessed a head. The suggestion that the pillar may have been moved to its present situation in order to act as a boundary marker for the tinner's workings in Wheal Anne Bottom is another theory put forward by Harrison. It is also postulated that the incised cross was carved after the visit of Dr. Prowse in 1900 as he made no mention of any such feature which if it was there could have hardly missed noting. Starkey (1989, p.41) also puts forward the theory that the 'shaft' was in fact the original one that belonged to the old socket of the nearby restored Hutchinson's Cross and it had been moved to its present position to serve as a tinner's boundary marker.

Confusing to say the least, but what's the fuss about? Well, if the pillar is in fact a shaft of an ancient cross that marked the old monastic track from Buckfast to Buckland (or the Maltern Way) then it has a very long history and should be recognised as such. What cannot be denied is that today the 'Headless Cross' stands proudly in Whealam Bottom, the actual incised cross measures 14 cm in length and has an arm span of 9 cm which aligns in a north-easterly - south-westerly fashion, (Sandles, 1997 p. 110). Here's a lesson in book writing, whilst researching for 'A Pilgrimage to Dartmoor's Crosses' I came across a comment which stated the 'Headless Cross' acted as a boundary marker between the northern and southern quarters of Dartmoor and because I never referenced the book I now am unable to find where I read it. Either way, wherever it is seems to be the only mention of the fact in which case it can't be that common a theory.

Bibliography

Brewer, D. 2001 Dartmoor Boundary Markers, Halsgrove Publishing, Tiverton.

Harrison, B. 2002 Dartmoor Stone Crosses, Halsgrove Publishing, Tiverton.

Sandles, T. 1997 A Pilgrimage to Dartmoor's Crosses, Forest Publishing, Liverton.

Starkey, F. H. 1989 Dartmoor Crosses, F. H. Starkey, Exeter.