Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

St Augustine's Cross is a commemorative Celtic-style cross carved by J Roddis of Birmingham. It was erected by Granville George Leveson-Gower, the second Earl of Granville and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, in 1884. The cross was erected to commemorate the landing of St Augustine in AD597 at Ebbsfleet. The stone cross is in the early Christian style, modelled on 8th to 9th century crosses found at Sandbach in Cheshire. It is about seven metres high set on a stepped base and has a tapered shaft surmounted by a circular top with a Celtic design. The cross is covered in carved decoration. On the west side of the cross the carvings depict the story of the Annunciation, the Virgin and Child, the Crucifixion and the Transfiguration. On the north side are the twelve apostles and on the south side the fourteen early Christian martyrs. The east side is decorated with runic motifs which continue down the shaft. The design then breaks into panels depicting St Alban, St Augustine and Ethelbert. Carved into the base of the cross is a Latin inscription, written by Dr Liddell, Dean of Christchurch, commemorating the meeting between Augustine and Ethelbert. This inscription describes the landing of St Augustine and his first sermon to King Ethelbert near where the cross is located.

Monument Types

• CROSS (Post Medieval - 1884 AD to 1884 AD)

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
MINSTER COTTINGTON ROAD TR36SW (south side) 4/10005 St Augustine's Cross - II Commemorative cross. 1884, carved by J Roddis ofBirmingham and erected by Granville George Leveson-Gower, the second Earl of Granville and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, to commemorate the landing of St Augustine in 597 AD at Ebbsfleet. Carved Celtic-style stone cross about 7 metres high set on a stepped base. Tapering shaft has diaper pattern with carvings of Archbishops, angels and beasts and is surmounted by a circular top with Celtic design. Tapering plinth has Latin inscription referring to St Augustine having preached his first sermon on English soil to King Ethelbert of Kent near this site.
Listing NGR: TR3158164552 (4)

Description from record TR 36 SW 37 :
St Augustine's Cross is a carved Celtic-style Cross erected in 1884 by Granville George Leveson Gower, second Earl of Granville, then Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, to commemorate the landing of St Augustine in 597 AD at Ebbsfleet. The commemorative cross was carved by J Roddis of Birmingham. It is about seven metres high and set on a stepped base. It has a tapering shaft which is decorated with a diaper pattern with carvings of Archbishops, angels and beasts and is surmounted by a circular top with a Celtic design. The plinth has a Latin inscription referring to St Augustine having preached his first sermon on English soil to King Ethelbert of Kent near this site. (2)

The cross was commissioned in 1884 by Granville George Leveson-Gower, second Earl of Granville, then Minister for Foreign Affairs and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. He was inspired by the tale associated with a massive oak tree which had been felled within living memory, known as the Augustine Oak. According, to the tale, the first meeting between King Ethelbert and the monk Augustine took place under this oak tree in 597 AD. Augustine had just been sent to England by Pope Gregory to convert the Anglo Saxons to Christianity. Nearby is the stream, known as St Augustine's Well, where it is said that Augustine baptized his first convert and on Whit Sunday of 597 AD King Ethelbert himself was converted.

The stone cross is in the early Christian style, modelled on 8th to 9th century crosses found at Sandbach in Cheshire. On the west side of the cross the decorative carvings depict the story of the Annunciation, the Virgin and Child, the Crucifixion and the Transfiguration. On the north side are the twelve apostles and on the south side the fourteen early Christian martyrs. The east side is decorated with runic motifs which continue down the shaft. The design then breaks into panels depicting St Alban, St Augstine and Ethelbert. Carved into the base of the cross is a Latin inscription commemorating the meeting between Augustine and Ethelbert, written by Dr Liddell, Dean of Christchurch. (3)

Historic England, Archive material associated with St Augustine's Cross, Ebbsfleet, Minster, Kent (Archive). SKE55519.

<1> OS 6" 1968 (OS Card Reference). SKE48376.

<2> DOE (HHR) Eastry Kent 1960 26 (OS Card Reference). SKE40560.

<3> English Heritage, 2005, Heritage Unlocked: London and the South East (Monograph). SKE54290.

<4> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading