MM315

St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Portskewett  

13/08/2002  

Designated  

Monmouthshire  

Portskewett  

349904  

188149  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

Cross  

Medieval  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument consists of a free standing cross in the churchyard of St. Mary's church, Portskewett. The cross base comprises five deep steps of conglomerate blocks 4.07m square at ground level surmounted by an square/octagonal socket-stone 0.85m wide by 0.59m high with large, straight-cut stops rounded at the outer corners. The octagonal medieval cross-shaft survives to a height of 0.96m, is 0.32m wide at the base, tapering to 0.28m at the top and has elongated pyramid stops at the base. The cross-shaft is currently bound by two iron straps. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of the organisation and practice of Christianity. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. A cross may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can further enhanced by their group value. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.