The Market Cross is a Grade II* listed building in the Somerset local planning authority area, England. First listed on 17 April 1959. A Post-Medieval Market cross. 1 related planning application.
The Market Cross
- WRENN ID
- strange-doorway-aspen
- Grade
- II*
- Local Planning Authority
- Somerset
- Constituency
- Glastonbury and Somerton MP: Sarah Dyke (LD)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 17 April 1959
- Type
- Market cross
- Period
- Post-Medieval
- Address
- The Market Cross, Market Place, Somerton, TA11 7NB
- OS grid reference
- ST 490 285
- Coordinates
- 51.05391, -2.72818
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Market Cross is a market cross that was rebuilt in 1673, with repairs made in 1925, 1950, and 1983. It is constructed from local lias stone that has been cut and squared, with Ham stone dressings. The roof is multi-hipped and covered with conoid stone slates, topped with a stone ball finial and a metal cross. The structure has an octagonal plan and features a Keinton stone slab base that is raised by one step. The central octagonal shaft has a three-step base and is corbelled at the top to support the roof timbers. Each bay on the outer face has a segmental voussoired arch with lias imposts and a Ham keystone, with angled offset buttresses at each corner reaching to the impost height. Above this, there is a string course with corner gargoyles and a battlemented parapet. The Market Cross is a significant feature in the street scene. There has been a cross on this site since at least 1390, and this particular cross, which was owned by Lord Ilchester, was sold to the town in 1916. It is also designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument (Somerset County No 18).
Local climate
The Market Cross receives an average of 840 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 56% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 63% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 30 freeze-thaw cycles a year, fewer than 65% of listed buildings. Of these, 11 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
- Sale history — 3 transactions since 2011
- Related listed building consents — 1 application
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
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