Standing in a field on Cross Hill, Shore: this is a Scheduled Ancient Monument on private land belonging to Higher Mount Farm.

First mentioned in Waddington (1884, 102), who, in an addendum to a note on a cross called the Stiperden cross marked on the Six-Inch Ordnance map, which had disappeared, reported another about a mile to the south-east of Stiperden, within a few yards of one of the by-roads. He said this cross was 'generally known as the Stiperden or Mount Cross', but that nothing was known of its history. He does not suggest that it was the marked and missing cross which had been moved. Heginbottom (1988, 4–5), however, noted its isolation from any known pre-Conquest church or settlement, and suggested — but on no other grounds — that it could have been moved to its present site near the Long Causeway, a packhorse route which became popular only in the fourteenth century.

Very weathered but complete. Newell (1911, 175), who argued strongly against any suggestion this cross had been moved, noted that it had been thrown down (in an act of vandalism) and broken across, just under the arms, in 1898. It was set up again with the head rejoined to the shaft with copper dowels.

A cross-shaft of slab-like section with a plate head of type E8. When it was being restored after being thrown down in 1898 (see above), it was noted that the foot of the shaft was shouldered 'as if it had once been intended to be fixed in the socket of a stone base' (Newell 1911, 175), although no base was found.

A and C (broad): The cross-head has a large boss at the centre of both broad faces, each with traces of an encircling ring: there is no other visible ornament.

B and D (narrow): The only decoration on both faces is a horizontal double moulding just below the head.

The plate head was a popular form in cross-heads of the Anglo-Scandinavian period in Yorkshire (Lang 2001, 26). The form of cross superimposed on the plate in this area is very varied, and some are very plain, as for example Gilling West 4 (ibid., ills. 277–9). Grave-markers with angular armpits and a central boss on what appears to be a squarish plate are thought to be of the first half of the tenth century, because of their association with a particular type of hogback: see for example Lythe 9 (ibid., 157, ills. 499–502).

Taylor (1906, 116) classed this with the Godley Lane (Burnley) and Whalley pre-Norman crosses, both in Lancashire. These have arms of a similar form, though not as exaggerated; and the Godley Lane cross appears equally plain apart from its ringed boss centre: both, however, are free-armed heads, so the comparison is by no means exact. He described this one as the last on the Long Causeway, though half a mile on the Yorkshire side of the border. Kenyon (1991, 102) noted that plain crosses such as this are found along the Pennine flanks, citing examples in the townships of Aighton, Bailey and Chaigley, also Cliviger, Godley Lane (Burnley), and Foulridge. Allen (1892–5, 141) thought them possibly guide posts over the moors. There is no real evidence for the function or placing of this cross, however.

Probably pre-Conquest, possibly first half of the tenth century

Waddington 1884, 101–2; Allen 1892–5, 138, 141; Taylor, H. 1906, 116, pl. facing 110; Newell 1911, 174–7; Edwards 1978, 58; Heginbottom 1988, 4–5; Kenyon 1991, 102

None