Re-Used Calvary Cross Slab, Churchyard Of The Church Of The Blessed Virgin Mary

The re-used Calvary cross slab is a medieval ledger, dating from the 13th to 15th centuries, that was repurposed in 1766 to commemorate John Rigby. It is located in the churchyard on the south-west side of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Eccleston and is made of gritstone.

The slab is large and rectangular, aligned east-west, and is now covered in lichen, with the southern edge partially obscured by grass. The original design features an incised cross with dovetail terminals set on a two-step Calvary, accompanied by a large sword on its right side. There are also secondary incisions, including the initials 'I(J)R' at the top left and 'John Rigby / 1766' at the top right.

Originally, the cross ledger would have been placed within the church. The sword emblem indicates a male burial for an unknown individual. In the 18th century, it was adapted as a memorial for John Rigby, who passed away in 1766.

This re-used medieval ledger is designated at Grade II* due to its origins as a Calvary cross memorial ledger from the 13th to 15th centuries and its unique history as an example of 18th-century re-use, reflecting a tradition of memorialization and the desire for perpetual remembrance.