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Summary

Description

1675, completed 1695. Originally sited near Old Cullen

church; removed to Castle Hill circa 1820 (probably

remodelled and supervised by William Robertson); removed

from Castle Hill to present site and re-erected, 1872, John

Miller, architect.

Octagonal polished ashlar (Moray sandstone) buttressed,

crocketted pinnacled base surmounted by slender octagonal

shaft with finialled apex. N face has re-set (probably

medieval) cartouche depicting Virgin and Child. Repaired

circa 1985.

Statement of Special Interest

A contract of 9 December 1674 was entered into with Daniell

Ross, master mason in Cullen, whereby Ross was 'to build and

erect ane crosse of frie stone ... near unto (similar to)

the cross of Banff wt. out (without) King or tounes armes

only tuo (two) housings for erecting the same heirefter'. In

1795 a further contract was agreed between the council and

Lachlan M'Petter, a 'masone in Cullen' for the 'building,

finishing and perfytting the cross of the said burgh' and

this work appears to have been completed by May 1696. The

cross was removed from its site by the church in Old Cullen

about 1820 and placed on Castle Hill; this work was probably

supervised by William Robertson who may have designed (at

least in part) the crocketted facetted base. The King's and

'toune' arms are still on Castle Hill, set in a rough circle

of large boulders.

By 1870 the Burgh Council was agitating for the removal of

the cross to the centre of the town and it was agreed in 1872

that this should be done; it was to be placed in the Square

'on a pedestal that will not disgrace his Lordship nor the

Burgh'. This work was designed and supervised by John Miller,

architect to the Seafield Estates whose name, with that of

the builders G Legge and D Gray, are inscribed within one

arch.

It must have been wither in 1820 or more probably in 1872

that the medieval cartouche of Virgin and Child was re-set in

the N facet of the pedestal. The provenance of this cartouche

is not known but it may well have been discovered in or near

Old Cullen Church and placed in the base of the cross for

safe keeping.

References

Bibliography

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