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139:). It has traditionally been said to have been built in 1373, to commemorate the granting of county status to Bristol. However, the earliest documentary reference to the cross is in a 1403 or 1404 civic ordinance, which mentions an 'opyn place bysydes the hyecrois of Bristow'. Dating the surviving cross architecturally or archaeologically is problematic, since it was renovated and rebuilt many times over the following centuries. For instance, in 1525 the mayor of Bristol ordered that 'the heddes of the crosses at the galowes and markett place shuld be made of the newe, as they nowe be'.
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As
Bristol prospered, the cross became an obstruction to traffic. In 1733 a nearby silversmith John Vaughan who occupied the building later known as the Dutch House complained that the cross threatened his life and property whenever there was a high wind and so persuaded the magistrates to have the
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was proclaimed King of
England by recorder George Snigge and the city dignitaries standing at the cross in their finery. It was also used as a site for public punishment, as can be seen from James Millerd's 1673 depiction of the High Cross, which shows a man sitting in the city stocks next to the
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on the green in line abreast and the cross impeded the great numbers so inclined – lines of eight or more. A fund was collected to improve the green as a promenade but this was exhausted in raising the green. The cross was once again removed in August 1762, and the pieces of the cross lay
420:, to construct the body of the cross. The funds for the work were exhausted after only one statue had been completed – of Edward III – and so the replica stood for many years with the other alcoves remaining empty. The remaining statues, commissioned from a prolific craftsman of the region,
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The most substantial and best documented alteration took place in 1633–1634, when the cross was partially dismantled and repaired, with a new storey added in which four seated figures were placed. The base was four octagonal
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did not want anything in front of his new creation, the 1851 replica cross was taken down in 1950. The upper stage of the replica was saved by fundraising and re-erected during a small ceremony in 1956 in nearby
347:. It was there admired as a quaint antiquity but it only took thirty years for it once again to be thought an obstruction. This time, the complaints came from the visitors who had come to the spa of
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The base of the cross displayed statues of monarchs in alcoves. In 1663, the cross was rebuilt to add a third tier for four more statues and the total complement of eight was then:
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The
Victorian citizens of Bristol sought to regain their cross but the original was now too fragile to be moved again. In 1851 they commissioned architect
52:, separate from Somerset and Gloucestershire. It was likely constructed on the site of an earlier market cross. The cross at it survives today is in
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Four of the statues of the original cross at
Stourhead were replaced by replicas in 1980, with the originals placed on indefinite loan with the
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92:). In the centre of the junction can be seen the Bristol High Cross, and on the right of the image, on the south side of Wine Street is
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424:, were eventually installed in 1889, after the cross had been moved from the apex to the centre of the green to make way for the new
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185:. He was the common clerk of the town from 1478 to 1506, and his drawing was the first such plan of an English town.
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but, as this was susceptible to frost damage, this was subsequently painted in colours of blue, gold, red and
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167:. The vermilion was the predominant colour of the statues, being used for their dresses, and aged well.
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disassembled in the great cloister of cathedral. In
October 1764, Dean Cutts-Barton then gave it to
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88:. On the far left of the image, on the north side of the road is the Register Office (previously the
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and the materials except the very worn lower columns were carted away to adorn his grand estate of
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The cross's central location made it the natural place for special events. In 1399, supporters of
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until
Alderman Price and other citizens arranged for it to be erected again in spring 1736 on
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with statues of
English monarchs. The top tier was a pinnacle with the actual cross as a
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The Maire of
Bristowe is Kalendar, by Robert Ricart, Town Clerk of Bristol 18 Edward IV
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The cross stood in the centre of the town, at the crossroads of its four main streets (
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Black and white sketch from c1900 depicting 1704-1733 period, looking east from
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The cross is shown at the centre of Robert Ricart's map of
Bristol, in the ms.
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412:. Norton inspected the original closely to copy its design and then engaged
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100:. The street scene shows a lot of people, a horse and cart, and a
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477:(Bristol Historical Association pamphlet, no. 42, 1978) 21 pp.
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were there proclaimed joint sovereigns over
England. In 1603,
571:. Vol. 2. Bristol: Corporation of Bristol. p. 182.
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A statue of Edward III from the High Cross exhibited at the
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when he visited Bristol. In 1542, Bristol was proclaimed a
258:, after a short siege of Bristol. These included Richard's
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The cross in its second location beside the cathedral, by
683:(21 April 1857). "On the pay of ministers of the Crown".
44:, England, to commemorate the granting of a charter by
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The cross is now at the entrance to the gardens of the
520:. Bristol: Bristol Historical Association. p. 10.
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40:said to have been erected c.1373 in the centre of
285:In 1487, it was the scene of ceremonies to greet
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408:to build a replica which would again stand upon
335:cross taken down. The parts were stored in the
282:against Bolinbroke who was now King Henry IV.
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276:Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester
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667:Chilcott's descriptive history of Bristol
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385:The replica on College Green in 1890, by
278:, was beheaded there for his part in the
685:Journal of the Royal Statistical Society
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833:National Trust properties in Wiltshire
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313:The south prospect of the cross (1673)
84:. The church tower visible is that of
818:Grade I listed buildings in Wiltshire
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151:arches. The next two tiers contained
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86:Christ Church with St Ewen, Bristol
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823:Monuments and memorials in Bristol
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544:National Heritage List for England
539:"The Bristol High Cross (1318471)"
514:Liversidge, Michael J. H. (1978).
14:
854:
747:. History Press. pp. 42–43.
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582:Toulmin Smith, Lucy, ed. (1872).
565:Bickley, Francis B., ed. (1900).
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431:Because the architect of the new
182:The Maire of Bristowe is Kalendar
426:jubilee statue of Queen Victoria
254:were beheaded there by order of
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568:The Little Red Book of Bristol
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56:. In 1764 it was moved to the
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843:Outdoor sculptures in Bristol
828:Monumental crosses in England
588:. Camden Society. p. 51.
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358:Henry "the Magnificent" Hoare
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726:Liversidge, Michael (1978).
706:Liversidge, Michael (1978).
669:(7 ed.), pp. 21–23
599:Liversidge, Michael (1978).
396:The surviving piece, now in
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10:
859:
768:Flickr photos of the group
745:The A-Z of Curious Bristol
644:"Ricart's View of Bristol"
461:Victoria and Albert Museum
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838:Market crosses in England
693:Royal Statistical Society
64:, where it still stands.
624:The Gentleman's Magazine
473:Michael J H Liversidge,
398:Berkeley Square, Bristol
127:51.4549245°N 2.5929585°W
743:Fells, Maurice (2014).
293:at the cross. In 1554,
729:The Bristol High Cross
709:The Bristol High Cross
665:John Chilcott (1846),
621:"Bristol High Cross",
602:The Bristol High Cross
517:The Bristol High Cross
479:– via Internet Archive
475:The Bristol High Cross
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274:. The following year,
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132:51.4549245; -2.5929585
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54:Decorated Gothic style
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631:: 21–24, January 1852
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418:Palace of Westminster
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351:. They were wont to
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96:, damaged during the
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794:51.10453°N 2.32200°W
159:. The material was
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642:Jean Manco (2006),
260:Lord High Treasurer
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799:51.10453; -2.32200
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48:to make Bristol a
34:Bristol High Cross
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732:. pp. 14–15.
264:William le Scrope
161:oolitic limestone
90:old Council House
16:Medieval monument
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272:Sir Henry Green
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605:. p. 6.
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548:. Retrieved
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467:Bibliography
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440:in Bristol.
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387:Charles Hern
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328:Samuel Scott
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249:
195:Broad Street
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147:with cusped
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68:Construction
38:market cross
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463:in London.
414:John Thomas
406:John Norton
299:King Philip
237:High Street
231:Elizabeth I
223:Corn Street
209:Wine Street
130: /
102:sedan chair
78:Corn Street
812:Categories
782:51°06′16″N
496:References
422:Harry Hems
318:Relocation
295:Queen Mary
252:Richard II
227:Edward III
115:51°27′18″N
46:Edward III
785:2°19′19″W
366:Wiltshire
362:Stourhead
353:promenade
345:cathedral
337:guildhall
291:bishopric
287:Henry VII
241:Edward IV
213:Henry III
203:Charles I
199:King John
165:vermilion
118:2°35′35″W
62:Wiltshire
27:Stourhead
484:See also
349:Hotwells
217:Henry VI
171:Location
444:Statues
376:Replica
343:by the
306:Cross.
303:James I
245:James I
153:alcoves
82:Bristol
42:Bristol
751:
695:: 103.
550:12 May
330:c.1750
157:finial
50:county
29:estate
145:piers
749:ISBN
552:2018
297:and
270:and
149:ogee
364:in
60:in
814::
718:^
691:.
689:20
687:.
655:^
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629:37
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239:—
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104:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
