Bewys Cross facts for kids
Bewys Cross (sometimes called Bewy's Cross) is a very old stone monument. It has steps, a base (called a plinth), and a broken stone pillar. People believe it was once a cross. It used to stand on the old seawall of the River Severn in an area of Shirehampton, United Kingdom, which is now called Avonmouth.
The cross might be from the early 1400s. The steps might have been added later. Old maps show it as "Bevis's Cross" in 1769 and "Bevis Stone" in 1772. It was near where the River Avon used to join the River Severn. Today, its original spot is in the middle of the Royal Edward Dock in Avonmouth. Since the 1870s, the River Avon has flowed into the Severn about half a mile further south.
Why Was Bewys Cross There?
The cross was most likely a landmark for sailors. It marked the old mouth of the River Avon, which was the way to the port of Bristol. Sailors coming from the south would see it and know where to turn to go upriver.
Local stories say that sailors used the cross to thank God for their safe return. They would leave money for the Church there. There's even a hole in one of the steps where people say they put their coins!
Where Did the Name Come From?
No one is completely sure how Bewys Cross got its name. There's another cross called Bevis Cross in Wisbech, which has a similar name.
Some people think the name might come from an old story about a hero called Sir Bevis of Hampton. It's interesting because the cross was in an area called Shirehampton, which was once just called Hampton.
There was also a place called Bewehurste mentioned in 1551 near Almondsbury. It's not clear if this is connected. The current name might also be confused with Bewell's Cross in Bristol.
Where is Bewys Cross Now?
The Miles family, who owned land nearby, moved the cross from the riverbank. They put it in Kingsweston Lane, across from their large house, King's Weston House. This probably happened between 1863 and 1868. They might have moved it to protect it from new buildings being built in Avonmouth.
Around that time, a railway was being built (the Bristol Port and Pier Railway). It ended near the Avonmouth Hotel, which was close to the cross's original spot. In 1868, people said the cross was covered with ivy, which could happen in just a few years.
Later, in 1952 or 1954, Bristol City Council became the owners of the Kingsweston estate. They moved the cross again. It was placed in the garden of "The House in the Garden," a nearby house built in 1938. This house was for the widow of the last owner of the estate. Bewys Cross still stands there today, next to a fishpond.
