Saxon 'Cross-Shaft' at Stancombe, Bisley Hundred

I passed the old stone cross on my way to Stancombe Beech farmshop near Bisley where I wanted to buy some special bird food which we'd run out of. It is a favourite of the wild birds in our garden and I didn't want to disappoint them, especially as there is little food in the natural environment at present.

It was very foggy and cold this morning when I left home to drive up to Minchinhampton for the weekly Country Market. When it finished I couldn't go directly to Bisley as I'd planned because there was an EGM of the market traders to try to work out answers to a few issues that have recently arisen. So I went home and found I'd received a couple of lovely Valentine cards.Aaaah.

By the early afternoon there was glorious sunshine which made the prospect of a drive to the farm shop much more attractive. There I bumped into Keith and we had a good chat, which was very amusing including various tales of local people's escapades over the decades. But one of his stories related to a place called the Wittantree, and Keith knew of its links to the old system of local government. I was able to add some of my knowledge of this from my research about landscape history, mentioning that this spot was the centre of law and local government for the old Bisley Hundred, when the local settlement was the centre of the whole region. Stroud didn't exist at that time in centuries before the Norman conquest of Britain when the Saxons ruled the roost.
'Witan, also called Witenagemot, the council of the Anglo-Saxon kings in and of England; its essential duty was to advise the King on all matters on which he chose to ask its opinion. It attested his grants of land to churches or laymen, consented to his issue of new laws or new statements of ancient custom, and helped him deal with rebels and persons suspected of disaffection. It's composition and time of meeting were determined by the King’s pleasure.' 

'Witenagemots are known to have met in at least 116 locations, including Amesbury, Calne, Cheddar, Gloucester, London and Winchester. The meeting places were often on royal estates, but some witenagemots were convened in the open at prominent rocks, hills, meadows and famous trees.'

So the location of the farm shop close to the centre of the old Hundred and its name of Stancombe, or 'Stone Combe' brings added emphasis to the ancient stone located just down the road which I passed on the old drove road way from Stroud. We live in what was Bisley Hundred and just a few hundred yards away from our house the River Frome forms the boundary with the adjacent ancient district called 'Longtree Hundred'! Now where was that tree? Chavenage is the answer to that, and it has a similarly interesting history.

On my way home I stopped with renewed energy to record what is referred to as Stancombe Cross. I think it is useful to write down what is written on the metal plaque attached to the railings which now surround and protect the cross. I fear that reference to the Hundred has been largely forgotten, and I may just start to do a bit of research. I've always wondered where the Wittan Tree is/was?

Stancombe 'Cross-Shaft':
'The square shaft and a base of a now headless Saxon cross, of the tall northern type (Bewcastle Cross), dating c. AD 700 once carved with tiers of holy figure3s within square nd round-headed niches. Probably brought from Stancombe cross-roads c.1820 for use as a Bisley Parish Boundary stone. Recognised 1928, and since restored and protected by Gloucestershire County Council.

ST.  C. B.'