Some Famous Old Crosses page 2

Cirencester had no fewer than six crosses. All but one have been destroyed. A curious story belongs to the old market cross of Mountsorrel, in Leicestershire. A singular temple-like "classic" affair stands in the street, replacing a beautiful shafted Gothic cross, removed in 1793. Sir John Danvers, later Lord Lanesborough, of Swithland Park, the local squire, lusted after the cross and offered a new building in exchange. The offer was accepted: the remains of the cross are in the park, and in the village street is the neo-classic temple.

Banbury Cross is, of course, famous in nursery rhyme, but it was in itself a very notable cross, a tall, pinnacled fifteenth century structure, the pride of those of the town who were not Puritans. But Banbury was notoriously and very early of the Puritan mind: and in 1602 Brother Zeal-of-the-land Busy and his fellows tore it down. Now a new cross is erected at the North Gates end of the town.