58 The Ancient Stone Crosses Bickleigh, and passing Lower Whiteyborougii, where is a cottage and a smithy, shall gain the crest of the next hill and thence descend to Bickleigh Bridge. Close to this is the entrance to Bickleigh Vale, the charms of which have been sung by Nathaniel Howard, sometime schoolmaster at Tamerton Foliot, and a happy wooer of the muse. Near the lower end of the vale, and above the right bank of the river, is Mainstone Wood, the name of which favours the supposition that in, or near it, the boundary cross of the Countess Amicia bearing that name formerly stood. But this cannot be determined with certainty. Indeed, it would appear from the foundation deed that this cross should be looked for to the east of the river, rather than on its western side. That it existed somewhere in this locality wc may be sure, but many of the names on the deed cannot be positively identified, so that it becomes impossible to deter- mine its exact situation. The name would seem to indicate that the cross replaced an ancient menhir {maen-sioM), or that it was simply incised upon the monolith, or rudely fashioned out of it. With regard to the next cross mentioned on the deed, we can locate it with a greater degree of certainty. The boundary is drawn from Horyngbrok to the Plym "et ad Willebroke et ad crucem deWolewille," so that the river, and the brook separating the parishes of Bickleigh and Egg Buckland, and which rises not far from the farm of Woolwell, are clearly set forth. We are therefore able to fix the site of the cross near this farm, and that it was on the present Tavistock road is more than probable, since not only is that the situation in which it would be likely to be placed, but the words of the deed also lead us to suppose it. There the boundary is conterminous with the road as at present, and is drawn from Woolwell to Copriscrosse. The latter we shall presently notice. As an endeavour to discover Maynstone Cross, or the one formerly at Woolwell, would only end in disappointment, we shall resume our walk to Bickleigh, and having mounted the steep hill leading from the bridge, shall shortly reach the village, where on the green and within a few yards of the churchyard gate, we shall find, if not one of the objects of our questy one that will at least interest us.
