Historic Photos : Eleanor Crosses

[somsuj]

28th November

• 1291: Edward I's wife, Eleanor of Castile, dies. Crosses are erected where her body rests on the way to London. (My note - it should be Lincoln . . . not London)
  

My notes . . . The "Eleanor crosses" stood at Lincoln, Grantham, Stamford, Geddington, Northampton, Stony Stratford, Woburn, Dunstable, St Albans, Waltham, Westcheap, and Charing - only 3 survive, none in entirety. All 3 have lost the crosses "of immense height" that originally surmounted them; only the lower stages remain. The best preserved is that at Geddington.The cross in front of Charing cross station in London is not one of these - it was built in 1865 to publicise a hotel. The original 'Charing Cross' stood at Whitehall, and was destroyed in 1647 . . .
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Lincoln :

Nothing survives . . except this :


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Grantham

Nothing survives
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Stamford

Only a small marble fragment, a carved rose survives and is preserved in the town's museum.

This is a picture of the rose taken from the leaflet of the museum : http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/uploa..._FINAL_LOW.pdf


A modern structure is erected . . .



You can see the roses . .
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Geddington

The best preserved - and in some ways unique . .


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Hardingstone, Northampton

Survives


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Stony Stratford

Has not survived. A plaque remains . .


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Woburn

Nothing survives - it is not even known where it stood.
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Dunstable

Nothing survives of the originla. But, a modern structure has been erected in memory


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St Albans

Nothing survives - demolished in 18th century due to neglect.
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Waltham

One of the surviving ones . .


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Westcheap - now Cheapside

The Cheapside Cross was demolished in May 1643 . . fragments are in the Museum of London. Surviving are some pictures . . .


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Charing (now Charing Cross)

The cross at Charing Cross, in what was then the Royal Mews, was the most expensive. The original cross stood at the top of Whitehall on the south side of Trafalgar Square, but was destroyed in 1647. This point in Trafalgar Square is regarded as the official centre of London in legislation and when measuring distances from London.
A replacement cross was erected in 1865 in front of Charing Cross railway station, a few hundred metres to the east along the Strand. It is not a faithful replica, being more ornate than the original.

[somsuj]

12 in all . .

[ranja]

What's the significance of these, Doc? Never heard or read about them until today.

[somsuj]

A king's genuine love for his wife . .

[ranja]

Thanks!

[somsuj]

Edward I was a great character - may be one of the greatest real monarchs of England . . . . unlike the sham that was Henry the VII th . .

You should read Michael Prestwich's works - on Edward I . . . or the earlier one on "Three Edwards"