Hilary Stroude Collection – 2005
Stump of Old English Cross found in All Saints’ churchyard. On a brick plithe this stump is not in its original position. I think that perhaps it was outside the churchyard where the crossorads is now. I do not have any evidence for its original location but would like to find out. Outside the churchyard on the old Girton – Longstanton route stood the Blacksmiths (where the old bustop now is on Woodside). Opposite, (where No 1 Woodside is now -Richard and Joy North’s house the “The Old Smithy” built when the Blacksmith’s opposite was knocked down to make the junction safer.) was the old Village Pound site a triangle shaped piece of land that should have been part of The Manorial Demense. All these facilities traditionally point to an ancient heart of Longstanton village possibly dating from Anglo-Saxon times. The highest point in Longstanton (if you believe Richard Granger the postman!) this certainly could have been the focal point for Christian worship before stone building were erected.
(Hence the presence of this stump). All the evidence at this stage points to the possibility that the All Saint’s site is the oldest place of Christian worship in Longstanton even if worship took place outside in the open air.
There is no definite evidence for this and probably archaeology is the only way of settling which of our churches is the oldest site of Christian worship. (St. Michael’s is definitely the oldest building that remains as All Saints’ was rebuilt in the 14th Century after the original church burnt down. Traces of that original church can still be seen so a small fragment survived.)
