Chester High Cross
Encyclopedia
Chester High Cross is in Chester
, Cheshire
, England. It stands in front of St Peter's Church
at the junction of Watergate Street, Eastgate Street and Bridge Street, a site known as Chester Cross
. The cross is a Grade II listed building.
on its top. The cross was gilded
in 1603. It was damaged and broken up by the Parliamentarians during the Civil War
in 1646. The head was saved and kept in the grounds of Sir John Cotgreave at Nesterleigh. The head and another possible fragments were rediscovered in the 19th century. They were used in a restoration of the cross which was erected near the Newgate in 1949. In 1975 the cross was moved to its present site, near to its original position.
. It consists of a crown surmounted by a finial
with a ball on its top. It stands on a shaft on a plinth
below which are three steps. The head is hexagonal, while the shaft, steps and plinth are octagonal. The head, and possibly the moulded
base of the shaft, date from the 14th century; the rest of the structure is modern. The head is badly weathered; niches
which formerly contained statues are on each side, but two of these have been weathered away.
makes a midday proclamation from its steps.
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. It stands in front of St Peter's Church
St Peter's Church, Chester
St Peter's Church, Chester is in Eastgate Street in the centre of the city of Chester, Cheshire, England, immediately to the north of Chester Cross. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the...
at the junction of Watergate Street, Eastgate Street and Bridge Street, a site known as Chester Cross
Chester Cross (junction)
Chester Cross is a junction of streets at the centre of the city of Chester, Cheshire, England .The streets meeting at the junction are Watergate Street, Eastgate Street, Bridge Street and Northgate Street. The junction consists of a staggered crossroads, with Watergate Street in continuity with...
. The cross is a Grade II listed building.
History
The original cross dated from the 14th century. This cross was replaced by a new one in 1476. It consisted of an octagonal pillar surmounted by a carved head and a crucifixCrucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
on its top. The cross was gilded
Gilding
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
in 1603. It was damaged and broken up by the Parliamentarians during the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
in 1646. The head was saved and kept in the grounds of Sir John Cotgreave at Nesterleigh. The head and another possible fragments were rediscovered in the 19th century. They were used in a restoration of the cross which was erected near the Newgate in 1949. In 1975 the cross was moved to its present site, near to its original position.
Structure
The cross is constructed in red sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. It consists of a crown surmounted by a finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
with a ball on its top. It stands on a shaft on a plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
below which are three steps. The head is hexagonal, while the shaft, steps and plinth are octagonal. The head, and possibly the moulded
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
base of the shaft, date from the 14th century; the rest of the structure is modern. The head is badly weathered; niches
Niche (architecture)
A niche in classical architecture is an exedra or an apse that has been reduced in size, retaining the half-dome heading usual for an apse. Nero's Domus Aurea was the first semi-private dwelling that possessed rooms that were given richly varied floor plans, shaped with niches and exedras;...
which formerly contained statues are on each side, but two of these have been weathered away.
Today
Chester High Cross stands at the centre of the city of Chester and is a popular meeting point. During the summer months Chester's town crierTown crier
A town crier, or bellman, is an officer of the court who makes public pronouncements as required by the court . The crier can also be used to make public announcements in the streets...
makes a midday proclamation from its steps.