AN ancient granite cross, discovered last year by a group of walkers on Dartmoor, has been returned to the location of its discovery with a new base constructed by Dartmoor National Park Authority's stone mason.

The previously unrecorded granite cross was discovered by a group of walkers on the King's Way near Bridestowe on northern Dartmoor.

Ron's Ramblers — Ron Johns, Mike Smith, Bill Furneaux, Ed Squires and Peter Hodges — a group of former dockyard workers from Plymouth, were enjoying one of their regular Dartmoor walks when they spotted the cross set into a corn ditch wall.

The wall, known as the King Wall, lies close to Great Nodden, along an ancient route known as the King's Way — the Tavistock to Okehampton section of the old coaching route between London to Plymouth along which the king's mail was taken.

The cross is cut in relief on just one side. This is a method of carving where the design stands out from the surface in a raised fashion. 

The lower part of the cross shaft has broken off, but when complete it is thought to have probably been more than two metres high.

It is likely that this was once a wayside cross marking an ancient route.

The King is believed to be Charles I and much of the route can still be found. However it is very probable that the route was in existence long before this period, and could be associated with Tavistock Abbey and Lydford; both of which have Saxon origins.

Andrew Langdon, an expert on Cornish crosses, has looked at the cross and feels that it is probably post Conquest in date. 

The design of the cross is described as being Greek rather than Latin, which is a style much more commonly found in Cornwall than on Dartmoor.

The cross was temporarily removed to Dartmoor National Park Authority's works yard while the new base was made for it by the authority's stone mason Andy Cribbett. 

During the summer the cross was on display at the High Moorland Visitor Centre in Princetown where it was unveiled with its new base by The Duke of Cornwall, as part of the celebrations of Dartmoor National Park's 60th anniversary.

The cross can be seen on the King's Way at Ordnance Survey grid reference SX 5351 8740.