Monument record MDR53 - The Dipping or Plague Stone, Whaley Moor, Whaley Bridge
Type and Period (2)
- WAYSIDE CROSS (Saxon to Medieval - 800 AD to 1539 AD)
- BOUNDARY CROSS (Saxon to Medieval - 800 AD to 1539 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
Full Description
'In a field called Long-side-piece, in the township of Whaley and parish of Stockport, is a rude stone of an oblong form, about four feet long, and one foot thick, in which are two sockets, one of them, one foot seven inches, by one foot three inches, and six inches deep; the other, one foot five inches, by one foot, and seven inches deep, with the fragment of a stone-pillar, two feet three inches long, lying near it'. (1)
The rectangular stone is 4' long and from 21"-32" wide, and is considered to be the base stone of a pair of Saxon crosses, probably not later than the 10th century. Similar base stones are part of the Bow Stones (Cheshire), Robin Hoods Picking Rods (SMR 4101) at Chisworth, and the Great Stone at Stretford (Lancs). This group of crosses were probably boundary markers. (2, 3)
This stone, known as The Dipping Stone (or alternatively the Plague Stone), is now a scheduled monument. It is the base or socle of a twin-shafted wayside and boundary cross, comprising a natural earthfast boulder into which to rectangular socket holes have been cut. These would originally have housed twin cross shafts. The monument is one of a group of early medieval twin-socketed crosses situated near the border between Derbyshire and Cheshire which are thought not only to mark ancient routes across the moors but also to indicate the boundaries between adjoining districts. (6)
Sources/Archives (6)
- <1> SDR21151 Bibliographic reference: Lysons, D & Lysons, S. 1810. Magna Britannia: Cheshire. p 459.
- <2> SDR15212 Article in serial: Cox, J C. 1904. 'Early crosses in the High Peak', The Athenaeum. No 4002. p 562.
- <3> SDR991 Article in serial: Phillips, C W. 1937. 'Some stone monuments', Antiquity. Volume 11, No. 43, pp 294-299.
- <4> SDR6452 Personal Observation: F1 TPW 10-OCT-62.
- <5> SDR14159 Index: NDAT. 2034. 2034.
- <6> SDR18137 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1994. Scheduling Notification: Wayside and boundary cross known as The Dipping Stone. 23363. Cat. No. 352.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred SJ 9955 8171 (14m by 19m) (Centre) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | WHALEY BRIDGE, HIGH PEAK, DERBYSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (1)
- EDR971
Please contact the HER for details.
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Sep 6 2013 2:21PM