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Churchyard Cross, St Issau's Church is a medieval cross standing in the churchyard at St Issau's in Wales. The monument is protected as an ancient monument under Cadw reference BR172. Such crosses were characteristic features of Welsh churchyards from the medieval period onwards, serving as focal points for worship, assembly and community life. They typically marked the sacred space of the church precinct and often functioned as meeting places before the development of dedicated parish buildings.
The cross rises from bedrock of Lower Devonian sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded deposits laid down in the Early Devonian period over 400 million years ago. This solid geological foundation has enabled the monument to remain upright through centuries of Welsh weather. The local stone would have been readily available for construction, and the substantial geology beneath provided stable anchorage for such a substantial structure.
Churchyard crosses of this type represent important survivals of medieval religious practice in Wales. Many examples were lost or heavily restored during later centuries, making intact or well-preserved examples of particular historical significance. The cross at St Issau's contributes to understanding of medieval Welsh ecclesiastical topography and the material expression of Christian devotion in the medieval Welsh landscape.
Churchyard Cross, St Issau's Church is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR172. View the official record →
Churchyard Cross, St Issau's Church is a medieval cross standing in the churchyard at St Issau's in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR172.
Churchyard Cross, St Issau's Church dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a cross. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Churchyard Cross, St Issau's Church 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 BR172.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Abergavenny Bridge (8.6 km), Abergavenny Roman Fort (8.6 km), Area of Conventual Buildings, St Mary's Priory (8.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Churchyard Cross, St Issau's Church'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.
Churchyard Cross, St Issau's Church stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.