Bewell's Cross
Encyclopedia
Bewell's Cross is a lost monument which marked the boundary of the county
of Bristol
when this was created in 1373. It stood in the Gallows Field at the top of St Michael's Hill, the former principal road from Bristol to Wales
via the Severn ferry at Aust
. It was removed in the 19th century, and a stone from it is built into the wall of Cotham Church
, marked by a plaque.
It appears to have taken its name from a nearby spring whose name appears to be Old English for 'bee well'. But there was a Bristolian called Elias or Elys recorded in about 1270 with the surname Beowolf. It is possible that the name of the monument includes this, unless Beowolf is a punning alteration of the name of the spring.
Bewell's Cross should not be confused with Bewys Cross
in Kingsweston
(see Kings Weston House
), also now within the boundaries of the city of Bristol.
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
when this was created in 1373. It stood in the Gallows Field at the top of St Michael's Hill, the former principal road from Bristol to Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
via the Severn ferry at Aust
Aust
Aust is a small village in South Gloucestershire, England, the historical site of the eastern terminal of the Aust Ferry crossing route over the River Severn between England and Wales, believed to have been used in Roman times as a continuation of Icknield Street which led from Eastern England...
. It was removed in the 19th century, and a stone from it is built into the wall of Cotham Church
Cotham Church
Cotham Church is in Cotham, Bristol, England.It was originally built, in 1842-43 by William Butterfield in a Gothic Revival style, as Highbury Congregational chapel. It was...
, marked by a plaque.
It appears to have taken its name from a nearby spring whose name appears to be Old English for 'bee well'. But there was a Bristolian called Elias or Elys recorded in about 1270 with the surname Beowolf. It is possible that the name of the monument includes this, unless Beowolf is a punning alteration of the name of the spring.
Bewell's Cross should not be confused with Bewys Cross
Bewys Cross
The monument currently known as Bewys Cross is the steps, plinth and truncated shaft of an ancient cross of uncertain age which used to stand on the shore of the River Severn near what is now Avonmouth, Bristol, UK, apparently close to where the drainage channel called Elbury Gout flowed into the...
in Kingsweston
Kingsweston
Kingsweston is a ward of the city of Bristol. The three districts in the ward are Coombe Dingle, Lawrence Weston and Sea Mills. The ward takes its name from the old district of Kings Weston , now generally considered part of Lawrence Weston.-Coombe Dingle:Coombe Dingle is a suburb of Bristol,...
(see Kings Weston House
Kings Weston House
Kings Weston House is a historic building in Kings Weston Lane, Kingsweston, Bristol, England.It was built between 1710 and 1725 was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh for Edward Southwell on the site of an earlier Tudor house, and remodelled 1763 by Robert Mylne. A significant architectural feature is...
), also now within the boundaries of the city of Bristol.