An old engraving showing Cheapside cross, Cheapside, London, England, UK being pulled down in 1643. Cheapside was one of 12 Eleanor crosses, a series of stone monuments topped with crosses. King Edward I had them erected in memory of his wife Eleanor, who died in 1290. In the post-Reformation period some of its Catholic imagery aroused resentment. After Charles I fled London to raise an army, the destruction of the cross was ordered by a Parliamentary Committee. It was demolished on 2 May 1643.
An old engraving showing Cheapside cross, Cheapside, London, England, UK being pulled down in 1643. Cheapside was one of 12 Eleanor crosses, a series of tall, lavishly decorated stone monuments topped with crosses in a line down part of the east of England. King Edward I had them erected between 1291 and about 1295 in memory of his wife Eleanor of Castile, who died in 1290. Two were in London – Cheapside and Charing (now Charing Cross). In the post-Reformation period some of its Catholic imagery aroused resentment, and elements were defaced. Matters came to a head during the years leading up to the Civil War. To the Puritans it was seen as the embodiment of royal and Catholic tradition. At least one riot was fought there, as opponents of the cross tried to pull it down and supporters rallied to stop them. After Charles I fled London to raise an army, the destruction of the cross was ordered by a Parliamentary Committee. It was demolished on 2 May 1643. Three Eleanor crosses – those at Geddington, Hardingstone and Waltham Cross – survive more or less intact.
Size: 3071px × 2255px
Location: Cheapside, London, England, UK
Photo credit: © M&N / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1600s, 1643, 17th, 1st, ages, black, britain, british, catholic, century, charles, cheapside, civil, cross, destroy, destruction, early, elanor, eleanor, england, english, engraving, great, historical, history, hundreds, illustration, king, london, medieval, memorial, middle, mob, monument, parliament, political, protestant, pull, pulled, puritan, puritans, riot, royal, seventeenth, sixteen, stone, uk, war, white
