Of Dartmoor and its Borderland. 53 To a former rector, the Rev. W. A. G. Gray, do we owe this, for it was his kindly hand that rescued the cross from the ignoble position whence it had been banished, and restored it to its rightful place. About the year 1882 he found it, or rather the shaft, for the head and arms had been broken o£f» in one of the glebe fields, where it was serving as a gate-post. Sut its true character was easy recognizable, and causing a fresh tenon to be cut so that it might fit into the socket of the base upon the green, it was once more erected under the sheltering boughs of the ancient oak. Like the pedestal it is octagonal, and of a beautiful tapering form. The oldest man in the parish, who was then about ninety years of age, and ivho possessed a remarkably clear recollection of all parish matters, had been unable to give any information respecting its whereabouts, nor had he ever heard his father speak of it. It is therefore nearly certain that more than a century had elapsed since the time this cross was removed from its pedestal, and the probability is that the period was much longer. When found there were six holes in it, one being filled with lead, in which some gate fastenings had evidently been fixed,. and the disposition of these showed that the stone had been made use of as a gate-post in more than one position. For a considerable time the pedestal upon which the base of the cross stood, consisted of two steps only, formed by eleven blocks of hewn granite, there being six in the lower one, and five in the upper. The sides of the octagon were not equal, varying from about twenty-eight inches to forty-five in the lower step, and it was evident that the stones had been moved from their proper positions. The lower stage was about nine feet in diameter, and about fifteen or sixteen inches high. On the upper stage was placed the octagonal base, which is twenty-two inches high, and sloping at the top. The shaft of the cross was Bve and a half feet high, and at its foot was just over four feet in girth. When, in 1895, the complete restoration of the cross was decided upon it was discovered that there were other stones in existence similar in form to those composing the calvary on the green. Investigation showed that they had certainly belonged to it, and that originally it had consisted of three steps. These were brought back to their old place, and the pedestal was re-set, very little nev; work requiring to be
