Record details
| Title | Eleanor Cross |
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| Description |
The Eleanor Cross is one of only three still standing, of an original twelve, constructed by King Edward I in memory of his wife Queen Eleanor of Castile, who died on 28 November 1290 in Harby, Nottinghamshire. The crosses mark the nightly resting places along the route taken by the the funeral procession that travelled between Harby to Westminster, London in 1290. In Northamptonshire, the body rested at Delapre Abbey from 8 to 9 of December. The King’s master mason, known as John of Battle, constructed this cross alongside the sculptural work of William of Ireland. It is octagonal in shape with three tiers and was originally topped with a cross. The lower tier features carved open books, which were painted with inscriptions. It proudly stands next to a historic piece of land, the site of the Battle of Northampton, 1460. It has been restored three times. Once in the 18th and 19th centuries, and most recently in April 2019. A second Eleanor Cross can also be found in the county at Geddington and the third in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire. The best known is a replica of a lost original built at Charing, then a small village near Westminster and nowadays named after the cross, hence Charing Cross. |
| Link | https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186349-d13222212-Reviews-Queen_Eleanor_Cross-Northampton_Northamptonshire_England.html |