Scheduled MonumentsWalesSt. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield
Medieval · Cross base

St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield

Wales
Cadw SAM MM311
Period
Medieval
Site type
Cross base
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
The designation
Reference
Cadw SAM MM311
Authority
Cadw
Designated
2002-08-13
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield is a medieval cross base standing in the churchyard of St. Mary's Church in Marshfield, Wales. The monument comprises the lower portion of a stone cross typical of the medieval period, now fragmentary but still a significant record of religious and civic life in the parish. It is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation, under reference MM311.

The cross stands on bedrock composed of Lower Devonian rocks, a foundation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down in the Early Devonian period over 400 million years ago. This durable geological base provided a stable footing for the cross's substantial stone construction and has supported its survival into the present day despite centuries of exposure to the Welsh climate.

Medieval churchyard crosses served multiple functions within parish communities, marking sacred space, serving as focal points for gatherings and commerce, and occasionally indicating burial grounds. The survival of St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, even in fragmentary form, represents an important material link to Marshfield's medieval heritage and the religious significance this location has held for many centuries.

St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MM311. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield?

St. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference MM311.

What period does St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield date from?

St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a cross base. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield?

St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield 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 MM311.

What other scheduled monuments are near St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Wentloog Castle (1.4 km), Druidstone Standing Stone (2.2 km), Pen-y-Lan Camp (2.3 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield

St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.

The wider landscape

Around St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Marshfield

Caerphilly CastleArchaeological site · ~7.1 milesCaerwentRoman town · ~13.8 miles