Recently, during excavations for the essential gas pipes replacement in Greenmarket, Penzance, Wales & West Utilities unexpectedly uncovered a fascinating piece of the town’s history.
Spotted by local historian and author Linda Camidge, the granite cross buried beneath the road surface marks the historic centre of Penzance.
When King James I granted a Charter to Penzance in 1614, the boundaries of the borough were drawn up as a circle radiating half a mile from the ancient Market Cross, which stood in the Greenmarket. These boundaries were marked with four boundary stones in 1687 – two of which are still in situ today.
In 1829, to allow for the road at Greenmarket to be widened, the Market Cross was moved several metres to the side of a building at the bottom of Causewayhead (where HSBC is located today.) To retain a marker for the historic centre of Penzance where the Market Cross had stood, a granite cross was embedded into the ground, flush with the surface of the road.
It is believed that this ‘Borough Cross’ was used as the starting point in the popular Beating of the Bounds ceremonies during the middle of the 1800s, when the Mayor (stepping out from the newly built Market House) would stand upon the cross – the centre of the Borough of Penzance – before the civic procession made its way to the four boundary stones.
At some point in time after this, the road was resurfaced and the Borough Cross marker was buried and forgotten.
With some of granite exposed during the gas works, local archaeologist Tom Goskar FSA alerted Wales & West Utilities and their protocol for the unexpected discovery of items of historical importance was put into place. Along with Peter Dudley from Cornwall Council’s Historic Environment Planning team, Tom Goskar contacted Dalcour Maclaren, who are project managing the works, and asked if more tarmac could be cut away so that the full extent of the cross could be confirmed and recorded.
Dalcour Maclaren agreed to this and sent their archaeologist, Jake West, to formally record the Borough Cross (as seen in photo). Also present was Andrew Langdon FSA, Cornwall’s specialist in crosses, who has previously lectured at Penlee House Gallery & Museum.
After the cross was methodically measured, photographed and recorded, it was covered in a thick layer of plastic to protect it, and carefully reburied. A surveyor took precise coordinates to find the exact middle point of the cross, and a survey nail has now been placed into the road surface as a small physical reminder of the original centre of the Borough of Penzance.
An archaeological report is now being written which will contain the necessary information for Cornwall Council to add it to their Historic Environment Record (HER). This means that the contractors for any future roadworks will be alerted to the existence and exact location of the Borough Cross, and ensure that it is protected.
Tom Goskar also created an incredible 3D scan of the Borough Cross from survey photographs which can be seen here: https://sketchfab.com/models/4111686cd4e743e2879ec3b63d822f55/embed
These days, the ancient Market Cross which once marked the centre of the Borough of Penzance can be seen outside Penlee House Gallery & Museum. And now, thanks to this unexpected discovery and some thorough recording, the Borough Cross that continues to mark this historic site will never be lost again.
Thanks to Tom Goskar FSA for background information included in this article.
