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Bedwas Churchyard Cross is a medieval cross standing in the churchyard at Bedwas in Wales. The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation, under reference MM143. Such crosses were characteristic features of Welsh churchyards from the medieval period onwards, serving as focal points for worship and community gathering.
The cross is situated upon bedrock formed from the South Wales Upper Coal Measures, a Westphalian geological sequence comprising mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal, ironstone and ferricrete. This coal-rich geology shaped the landscape and economy of the region throughout the medieval period and beyond. The stable foundation provided by these consolidated strata would have supported the cross securely through centuries of exposure to the Welsh climate.
As a surviving example of medieval ecclesiastical stonework, the cross reflects the religious life and material culture of its period. Churchyard crosses often marked the boundary between sacred and secular space, and served practical purposes including directing pilgrims and defining burial grounds. The preservation of this monument at Bedwas contributes to understanding the medieval heritage of south-east Wales and the continuity of Christian worship in the locality.
Bedwas Churchyard Cross is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MM143. View the official record →
Bedwas Churchyard Cross is a medieval cross standing in the churchyard at Bedwas in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference MM143.
Bedwas Churchyard Cross dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a cross. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Bedwas Churchyard Cross is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is MM143.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Caerffili Mountain Shaft Mounds (4.5 km), Castell Morgraig (4.9 km), Castle Field Camp E Of Craig-Llywn (6.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Bedwas Churchyard Cross's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Bedwas Churchyard Cross stands on South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation, bedrock that formed in the Westphalian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal, ironstone and ferricrete.