Market Cross, Cheddar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cheddar Market Cross |
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The Market Cross in 2006
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| Location | Cheddar, Somerset, England |
| Built | 15th century |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Market Cross | |
| Designated | 9 February 1961 |
| Reference no. | 1173642 |
| Official name: Market Cross | |
| Designated | 12 February 1925 |
| Reference no. | 1019033 |
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The Cheddar Market Cross is a very old stone structure. You can find it in the village of Cheddar, in Somerset, England. It was built a long time ago, in the 1400s! This special cross is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It is also a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a really important historical site.
The cross is made of stone. It used to mark the village's market square, where people would buy and sell things. It has a tall, eight-sided stone pillar in the middle. This pillar is surrounded by a six-sided roof, like a little shelter. The cross has been fixed and rebuilt many times. It was even damaged twice since the year 2000 because of traffic accidents.
A Look Back in Time
This market cross on Bath Street was first built in the 1400s. In the 1500s or 1600s, a six-sided arch structure was added around it. Later, in the 1700s, a person named Thomas, Marquis of Bath helped rebuild it.
In 1834, the shelter part was rebuilt, and new wooden beams were put in. Around this time, a market cross in nearby Axbridge was taken down. Some of its stones might have been used to fix the Cheddar cross. The very top part of the cross was added sometime after 1877.
The cross has faced some challenges. In January 2000, it was badly damaged in a car accident. By 2002, it was rebuilt, and the area around it was made safer. However, in March 2012, a taxi crashed into it again, knocking down two sides.
Repair work began quickly. Workers used as much of the original stone as they could. They also added strong wooden-covered steel posts to help protect it from future crashes. These repairs were finished in November 2012 and cost about £60,000.
What It Looks Like
The Cheddar Market Cross has a central pillar with eight sides. This pillar sits on a base that has three steps. Around the pillar is a six-sided shelter. This shelter has six arched openings, which are shaped like a gentle curve.
At each corner of the shelter, there are small, shallow supports called buttresses. The top edge of the shelter has a decorative wall that looks like castle battlements. The central pillar used to have a flat top part with figures carved into it. These carvings were probably added in the late 1800s. The very top part of the cross is now missing.
