Date set for Eleanor Cross survey and emergency maintenance
Cliveden Conservation will start comprehensive survey work and emergency maintenance on Northampton’s Eleanor Cross on Monday, 16 October.
The Cross, situated at the southern end of London Road close to Delapre Wood, is one of just three surviving monuments of twelve commissioned by Edward I between 1291 and 1294. It is both a scheduled monument and Grade I listed building.
Each cross marks one of twelve nightly resting places of his wife, Queen Eleanor of Castile’s, funeral procession between Harby, near Lincoln, to London.
Northampton Borough Council continues to investigate ownership of the monument but in the meantime has taken the decision to carry out emergency maintenance work and commission a full condition survey to inform any necessary future work.
Cllr Tim Hadland, Council Cabinet member for regeneration, enterprise and planning, said: “We continue to work with Cliveden Conservation and Historic England to ensure this project is carried out in the right way and to the monument’s benefit.
“The key thing now is that we ensure appropriate access is possible with the absolute minimum of disruption to the site while the work takes place.
“We all want to see the cross protected and that is precisely why the borough council has pushed ahead.”
A Historic England spokesperson said: “We welcome the commissioning of a condition survey by Northampton Borough Council to assess what works are required to safeguard the town’s nationally important Eleanor Cross for our own and future generations.
“We continue to support the Borough Council as they plan and timetable this work and are pleased to have confirmation that the survey will start shortly.”