The Market Cross, Cheddar — Grade II* Restoration After Collision Damage

The Market Cross in Cheddar, Somerset, is a Grade II* listed medieval structure standing at the junction of Bath Street, Union Street, and Church Street. Originally dating to the 15th century, it acquired its distinctive hexagonal stone shelter in the 16th or 17th century, and has been a defining landmark of the town ever since.

On 31 March 2012 a taxi collision destroyed two complete bays of the shelter and the central column, causing catastrophic damage to the irreplaceable historic fabric. The challenge was not merely structural replacement but authentic conservation: the brief required that as much of the original stonework as possible be retained and reinstated, with only genuinely irrecoverable material replaced.

Working in close consultation with the project architect, Wells Cathedral Stonemasons carefully pieced together the fragments of damaged stonework, assessing each piece for structural integrity and reuse potential. New stonework was cut from Doulting stone — the same local Somerset limestone from which the original structure was built — ensuring a seamless match in colour, texture, and working character. The completed restoration is indistinguishable from the original, with the surviving historic fabric consolidated and the lost elements faithfully reinstated.