CHAPTER VII.
Oosscs on the Lands of Amida^ G>imtess of Devon*
Bickleigh Vale — Maynstone Cross — Woolwell Cross — Bickleigh Cross —
The Church— Socket Stone — Copris Cross — Buckland Abbey — Buck-
land Monachorum Cross — Shaft of Cross on Crapstone Farm —
Horrabridge — Smalacumbe Cross — Sheepstor Cross — ^A Moorland
Church — An Ancient Church House — The Pixies' Cave — The Path
of the Monks.
In the lower valley of the Tavy, where the ground slopes
gently to the river beneath the hanging woods, there rose in
the later years of the thirteenth century a stately pile of build-
ings. When the workmen had completed their task, and the
sounds of their tools were no longer heard, those whose
future home it was to be, a colony of Cistercian monks, took
up their abode there, and for the first time the hymn of praise
resounded within the walls of Buckland Abbey.
This house was founded by Amicia, Countess of Baldwin
de Redvers, Earl of Devon, who endowed it with certain
lands, including three manors in the neighbourhood — Buck-
land, Bickleigh and Walkhampton. The foundation deed
was signed by Amicia in the eighth of Edward I. (1280), and
eleven years later the gift was confirmed by her daughter,
Isabella de Fortibus, by charter. In these instruments the
bounds of the lands bestowed upon the abbey are set forth,
and among the various objects by which they were defined
are named six crosses. These are given as Crucem Siwardi,
Smalacumbacrosse, Yanedonecrosse, Maynstoncrossa, Crucem
de Wolewille and Copriscrosse. The first will claim our
attention when we come to describe the crosses on the
Abbot's Way ; for the present we shall confine our remarks
to the others, noticing at the same time those which still exist
within the boundaries of the manors of the countess.
We shall therefore now return to Browney Cross, which
we may best do from Urgles by following the green path to
Cadaford Bridge, and retracing our steps over the Plympton
road. Arrived at the cross we turn into the lane leading to
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Of Dartmoor and its Borderland.
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