Ross-on-Wye historic landmarks and photography
Discover Ross-on-Wye’s historic landmarks and photography, showcasing the town’s rich heritage through stunning images and fascinating stories. From the medieval Plague Cross to the iconic Market House, explore the history and beauty of Ross-on-Wye through the lens of local photographer Alex Elton-Wall.
The Plague Cross
St Mary’s Church
Article and pictures by local photographer Alex Elton-Wall
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In the north-east corner of the churchyard of St Mary’s Church in Ross is a medieval cross standing over 3.5 metres high. It is known as the ‘Plague Cross’ or ‘Corpse Cross’.
In 1637 the cross was dedicated with an inscription to commemorate the 315 people of Ross who died of the plague – sometimes known as the ‘Black Death’. The cross stands just to the west of a spot where a pit was dug and the bodies of the plague victims were buried, without coffins, in the middle of the night.
Between 1563 and 1679 a series of plagues ravaged Britain, the most famous of which was the Great Plague of London in 1665-66, which took the lives of around 100,000 people over an 18 month period. Overall, during this period, it is thought that the various outbreaks of the plague reduced the population of Britain by between 10-30%.
Market House
Article and picture by local photographer Alex Elton-Wall
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Ross-on-Wye’s Market House is around 370 years old and is one of the oldest building in the town. It was built between 1650 and 1654 and replaced an even older, probably wooden, market hall. That building, called the ‘Booth Hall’ had its origins in the 12th century when King Stephen granted the town the right to hold a market in the area which stimulated the economy and encouraged trade. There are written records that indicate that Ross supported a variety of tradesmen, shops, market stalls, mills and iron forges during the reign of Edward 1 in the 13th century. It is incredible to think of the continuity of people coming to buy and sell goods at a market in Ross-on-Wye for over 900 years!
