Letter - THE MARKET CROSS

THE MARKET CROSS

The Market Cross represents the core and essence of Barnard Castle as an historic market town and is an instantly recognisable image and symbol of the place. It is a Grade I Listed Building and is scheduled as an Ancient Monument; both local authorities and English Heritage have statutory responsibilities to look after it. It stands on its own merits; it does not need a ‘use’ to justify itself, and it is essential that Teesdale District Council and their successor take proper steps to ensure its future. Certainly, much of the intermittent damage to the Market Cross is caused by traffic, but it is the traffic, not the Cross, which has become the hazard; the remedy must be to move the traffic, rather than moving the monument. I would have hoped that anyone claiming to be blessed with ‘vision’ would be able to see that Barnard Castle can best be helped to flower as the beautiful historic town it is by the removal of the incessant stream of motor traffic.

Percival Turnbull
The Brigantia Archaeological Practice