Week Down cross

Historic England's scheduling record (list entry 1009191) describes a well-preserved wayside cross cut from a single piece of coarse granite, on open ground about 9 metres north of what is now a minor road, with wide views. The arms are very stumpy and run nearly north to south, and the head is rounded. The cross leans a good deal to the south-west but seems stable. It is 2.09 metres long and stands up to 1.95 metres above the turf. The shaft is roughly rectangular and tapers from 0.52 by 0.42 metres at the base to about 0.3 by 0.4 metres under the arms, and the head reduces to about 0.24 by 0.33 metres. Both arms project only 70 millimetres, and the head rises 0.3 metres above them. It lies in the parish of Chagford, about 1.5 km south-east of Chagford.

An incised cross with four splayed ends, 0.24 metres square, is cut on the east face between the arms, and a smaller one with splayed arms, about 0.2 metres, on the west face. The letters IA, 60 millimetres high, are finely cut on the north face 0.23 metres below the arms. Four slab-like stones round the base seem to secure the cross. It was moved in 1867 and now seems to stand on a stony scarp, about 3 metres wide and 0.5 metres high, which may be prehistoric and runs away to the south-west.

Historic England says it is a strong candidate for a Christianised prehistoric standing stone, because of its very stumpy but seemingly original arms, rounded head, little-dressed state and prominent position.

Sources: Historic England list entry 1009191, which cites Crossing, The Ancient Stone Crosses of Dartmoor (1902), and Crossing, The Old Stone Crosses of the Dartmoor Borders (1892), page 118.

• Period: Medieval
• Status: Scheduled monument (Historic England list entry 1009191)
• Grid reference: SX 7115 8653 (approximate, from the listing's coordinates)