Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/328

 282 PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF (levolion, and possibly, in some instances as places of sanctuary, where the culprit might take refuge under the protection of the church : they were erected in market-places, where the sacred emblem, it might be, should keep before the mind feelings to counteract the sins of dishonesty, and constantly bring to remembrance the Golden Rule inculcated by Christianity. Crosses were placed to commemorate important events, to mark the scenes of strife ami of victory, as in the case of the Percy and the Neville crosses ; they served as landmarks and beacons, as at Dundry, Somerset ; they were the resting-places in towns or by high-ways, where the corpse was deposited for a while, when being carried to the grave ; and they were the resort of the needy and the impotent, who there assem- bled to crave alms for the love of llim, whose symbol is the cross. They were placed to mark and protect springs or public wells, the base of the cross sometimes serving the purpose of a conduit, as at Geddington." The cross, Mr. Le Keux observed, was not always a place of sanctuary ; in the " Taming of the Shrew," Grumio, speaking of being wedded to Katharine, says, he would "as leif to be whipped at the High Cross every morning." Mr. Le Keux concluded his observations in illustration of the remarkable series of examples submitted to the meeting on this occasion (comprising nearly 300 drawings), by some remarks on those most interesting monu- ments of this class — the Eleanor Crosses, which will form an important portion of a work now in preparation by Mr. Le Keux, and which will supply a dcsideratuDi in archajological literature. Amongst the critical observations which he olfered, in adverting to these unequalled combinations of sculpture with architectural designs of varied and etiective character, Mr. Le Keux stated his conviction that the statue of the Blessed Virgin now seen on the cross at Leighton, Bedfordshire, had been originally one of the effigies of Eleanor, removed thither when the work of destruction took place, which has left so few of these memorials of the Queen existing to our times. '^ By Mr. Le Keux's kindness we are enabled to place before the readers of the Journal two of his skilfully touched etchings, from subjects in the series of stone crosses exhibited by him to the Institute on this occasion. He closed his reniarks by the rcfjucst for information or drawings which might aid his researches, announcing his intentiitn of preparing for publication a selection of examples of this highly interesting class of sacred untifpiities. The discussion was resumed regarding the threatened desecration of ancient churches, especially in the City of London, and the heedless destruction of sepulciirul memorials existing on so many consecrated sites. Mr. Maukla.M) made a forcible appeal to the meeting on this subject, and conlial concurrence in his views was expressed by Mr. Beresford Hope, Lord NoIhoii, Mr. Hawkins, and other persons present, who took a warm interest in this important (juestion. It waa finally unanimously agreed, that a deputation ahould bo nominated on the part of the Institute,"' and that the Bishop of London b(! rei|ueHlcd to grant an interview without " 'I'licMir croH»e» will funii ini iiii|iorlHiit iiifiiiDriiilH of (im-cii llU-jiimr, llii< plniiH, f<'iitiiriT of .Ir. Lv Kuux'h forllieomiiij; snil|iturc aii•'•, iii tloM voliinie.