The Market Cross Charity Appeal

At the end of last year, during the BBC filming  of Turn Back Time I received a special gift from Pauline Bereton of Parkway Antiques, an early photograph of the Market Cross. Thank you Pauline I will treasure it! The photo is a reminder of how things could be once again, how wonderful it would be to see the cross dressed in flowers, garlands and palms as they did in the late Victorian / Edwardian era.

The photograph will be available to view from Saturday 19th February at Number Twenty One, 21 Town Street for two months.

In 2011 the monumental structure stands tall, but take a closer look and the detail is crumbling. It would be impossible to place palms and garlands beneath its eroding spire and tired arches .Can you believe that the last major restoration was in 1841 !
 

A campaign to raise funds to preserve this gracious monument was launched several months ago, it has been supported by several famous faces to include Glastonbury Festival organizer Michael Eavis and Grand Designs Kevin Mcloud.

Michael Eavis. Photograph: Fiona Hanson/PA

Image via The Guardian

The Market Cross (butter cross) can be dated  to 1500 from an inscription on ‘an ancient’ brass plaque:- its origin could be of several use,s however it was used by farmers from the moors who sold butter, eggs, milk and poultry under its stone gallery in a thriving weekly market. It has always been used as a pivotal feature in the community throughout history, to include the BBC1 Turn Back Time 'The High Street.' 

Various associated links to articles and more information;

• Shepton Life (donation page)
• History of the cross, 
• Shepton Mallet People 
  
• Facebook  
• Shepton 21 
• Shepton Mallet Town Council
• this is Somerset
• SU4S
• Chris's Blog 
• South West Business 
• Somerset Life