Aymestrey's medieval cross restored to glory (From Hereford Times)

Aymestrey's medieval cross restored to glory

8:00am Monday 8th February 2010

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AN HISTORIC sermon has taken place at a medieval cross in Herefordshire.

The parish of Aymestrey has shown its faith by restoring two churches and a rare preaching cross.

The latter – a 15ft stone cross outside St John the Baptist and St Alkmunds Church – is one of a handful left in Herefordshire.

It was pushed down by vandals several years ago and was said to be in a “critical state” by English Heritage.

But it’s now one of the finest in the county thanks to a five-year restoration project.

Villagers celebrated the feat by attending the first sermon at the preaching cross for decades.

This was carried out by former Aymestrey vicar, the Rev Stephen Thomas, who left the parish in 1999.

Meg Thorpe, church warden, said Aymestrey should be proud of the “megabucks” project, launched in 2003.

“There aren’t too many parishes that could restore two churches and a preaching cross,” said Mrs Thorpe.

“It has needed a vast quantity of money but we’ve been lucky in getting grant funding from English Heritage.

“The preaching cross is a very individual and special thing to have, but it was crumbled and hasn’t been used for years.

“I think there were 14 crosses on the critical list, but this is the only one that’s managed to be restored.”

Repairs on the main church, the Grade I listed St John the Baptist, started in 2005 and took around a year to complete.

The project then moved to St Andrew’s Chapel in Leinthall Earls before finishing at the preaching cross in 2009.

Conservation experts, Recclesia, rebuilt the cross from the foundations using the original pieces.

The shaft and pinnacle, which had been lying shattered on the ground, were repaired and reinstalled late last year.

The Hereford Times reported the plight of the county’s medieval crosses following an English Heritage (EH) report in 2007. The preaching cross at Aymestrey featured in the “heritage at risk” register, but its restoration means it should be withdrawn.

Listed below is an update on some of the sites we featured, and their current status according to the 2009 register.

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