What is the Eleanor Cross Trail
Ever heard of a king who loved his queen so much, he built twelve incredible monuments across England just to mark her final journey? Forget modern grand gestures—back in the 13th century, King Edward I literally poured his heart (and the royal treasury) into honouring his beloved wife, Queen Eleanor of Castile.
These aren’t just old stones; they are the 12 Eleanor Crosses, a stunning trail of medieval architecture tracing one of the saddest, most significant royal processions for a King in UK history. So Grab a cup of tea, because we’re tracing this powerful journey from Lincoln all the way to London, and discovering which of these amazing monuments you can still visit today or do the Eleanor Cross trail for yourself.
The beautiful surviving crosses at Geddington, Northampton, and Waltham Cross are famous examples of the sophisticated, highly-sculpted, multi-tiered memorial architecture of the late 13th century and of the 3 crosses left standing you can visit today, and take the Eleanor cross trial – The other one is at Northampton, in Hardingstone next to Delapré Abbey.
Why 12 Crosses? The Royal Road Trip of Grief
Eleanor died in Harby, Nottinghamshire, in 1290. Edward was heartbroken. He decreed that a lavish cross be erected at every single place her coffin rested overnight on the long, 200-mile journey to Westminster Abbey. So King Edward I commissioned twelve magnificent crosses to mark the precise spot where the funeral cortège of his beloved wife, Queen Eleanor of Castile, rested overnight on its 12-day journey from Harby, on the Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire border- to Westminster Abbey in London. She reached her final journey to London on the 14th December 1290.
In life Queen Eleanor wasn’t just a consort; she was a major political player, a savvy businesswoman, and a beloved mother (she had 16 children with Edward!). This wasn’t a political marriage—it was a true love match, one that is rare to find in the UK history of the monarchy.
These crosses weren’t just rough markers, Edward hired the best masons in England, craftsmen like Richard of Crundale (known for his work on The Tower of London). These were multi-tiered beasts, featuring the royal shields of England and Castile, and bearing beautiful, canopied statues of the Queen. They were massive! and they were for the love of Eleanor, and they must have cost a fortune.
The Posthumous Reputation (The “Good Queen”)
The image of Eleanor as a universally beloved queen was deliberately cultivated after her death by Edward I and later chroniclers. She was in fact seen by the people as a Castilian,(being born in Castile, Spain) she was seen as a foreigner (the English were becoming increasingly nationalistic at this time). Her influence was seen as a source of patronage for her foreign relatives and associates, which was a common cause of resentment among the English nobility and the population. However she was admired by the elite for introducing new cultural luxuries from Spain, such as forks, new styles of tapestries, and innovative garden designs.
Among those who knew her personally or were affected by her power, was one of respect for her intelligence and fear of her forcefulness! It’s no wonder – being the great-granddaughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine she likely had some of that fiery blood coursing through her veins.
Highly Educated and Forceful – She was one of the most educated queens of the medieval period and a powerful political and cultural force. Chroniclers noted her sharp mind and strong will. One source suggested the Archbishop of Canterbury advised a prominent abbess that “if she knew what was good for her,” she would not cross the Queen.
3 Crosses For You To See Today
Sadly, only three of the original twelve Eleanor Crosses survive today. Puritan forces and the English Civil War did a lot of damage, but these three monuments stood the test of time. They are an absolute must-see for any history fan. The original monuments would have held an actual cross on top, but these have been lost over time. The purpose of the entire structure was to act as a pedestal for the cross, which was the ultimate symbol of the Christian faith and the love of a queen. There were however besides the 12 crosses, 3 tombs (as she was buried 3 times, which we’ll talk of later) and a commemorative chapel built at Harby!
- Geddington, Northamptonshire is the Best Preserved cross- It’s triangular and widely considered the most complete and beautiful survivor. A perfect photo opportunity! It sits right bang in the middle of the village next to the pub,(built in 1780’s as the Black Swan) so refreshments are at hand.
- Hardingstone, Northampton This cross stands near the site of Delapré Abbey. It was the fifth stop on the long procession south. Great for pairing as a visit with a visit to the local Abbey or museum – More below about this location and ghost.
- Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire The cross here gives the modern town its name. It was the tenth stop. Though it’s now in a busy modern setting, it’s a an example of history merging with modern life, and if you don’t take the time, you may just walk past and not realise the love story within the stones.
The Destroyed Crosses and Their Lasting Legacy
Charing Cross, London The most famous “Ghost Cross” because the original was demolished, but the Victorian replica still stands majestically in front of the train station—giving the entire area its famous name. The original site is where the statue of Charles I now stands.
Lincoln, Grantham, and Stamford were among the first stops. Their destruction in the Civil War shows how much these crosses became targets for their ‘popish’ imagery. A great example of how history gets erased.
Cheapside, London The cross here was the most expensive and elaborate of them all, just imagine a Gothic masterpiece in the heart of modern London’s financial district.
Seven centuries later, the Eleanor Crosses still stand as one of the most powerful medieval memorials ever built—a testament to royal devotion and a masterclass in Gothic art.
The twelve official sites of the Eleanor Crosses, listed in order of the procession from north to south and 200 miles of grief
- Lincoln (The cross stood outside St Katherine’s Priory)
- Grantham, Lincolnshire
- Stamford, Lincolnshire
- Geddington, Northamptonshire (*****One of the three surviving originals)
- Hardingstone (near Northampton) (*****One of the three surviving originals)
- Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire
- Woburn, Bedfordshire
- Dunstable, Bedfordshire
- St Albans, Hertfordshire
- Waltham (now Waltham Cross), Hertfordshire (*****One of the three surviving originals)
- Westcheap (now Cheapside), London
- Charing (now Charing Cross), London
Taking 21 days to cover the journey to London, Queen Eleanor’s body was finally laid to rest at Westminster Abbey on the 17th December 1290.
Did you know? she had 2 other burials! Her entrails were removed from her body and buried at Lincoln Cathedral en route. Her heart (which was also removed at Lincoln) was buried at the Dominican Priory at Blackfriars (known for their black robes) in London (now demolished) 2 days after her body’s Westminster Abbey burial.
Eleanor was a serious benefactor to the priory and it is said ‘left her heart there‘.
While King Edward I’s intent was religious devotion (each cross was a point for people to pray for Eleanor’s soul), this route on one of England’s oldest roads has accumulated some intriguing mystical associations.
Local Legends to The Eleanor Cross and Their Locations
The final, and most expensive, cross was at Charing, just outside Westminster Palace – remember the site is now occupied by the statue of Charles I, near Trafalgar Square.
It being one of the most famous, legends suggests a different meaning for the name. The name “Charing” is genuinely thought to come from the Anglo-Saxon word cierring, meaning a “bend” or “turn” in the road. However, later romantics claimed it came from the French phrase “Chère Reine” (Dear Queen), a direct sentimental reference to Eleanor, whose bier (movable frame from which a coffin is made)made its final rest there.
The cross at Hardingstone stands close to the former site of Delapré Abbey, where Eleanor’s coffin was laid overnight.
The Abbey was a Cluniac nunnery—a deeply spiritual and secluded place. While the cross is intact, the abbey itself fell into disrepair after the Dissolution of the Monasteries and Delapré Abbey and its surrounding grounds are a well-known location for local ghost sightings.
The most famous is the tale of Agnes of Delapré, a nun from the abbey who is said to have been killed by a soldier during the Battle of Northampton in 1460 (which took place on the abbey grounds). Her ghostly figure is sometimes reported, though this is related to the later battle and the dissolution of the nunnery rather than Eleanor herself.
When there, I felt the entire location saturated with centuries of religious observance, death, and warfare, lending a distinct, somber atmosphere to the surviving cross.
Edward and Eleanor’s Love, the Holy Land and the Rose
The most enduring story about Eleanor is the legend that she saved Edward’s life in 1270 while they were on Crusade in the Holy Land. Edward was wounded by a poisoned dagger, and the story goes that Eleanor sucked the poison from his wound to save him, risking her own life. This romantic story was widely believed for centuries and ensured that the crosses were seen not just as monuments to a dead Queen, but to a love so profound it transcended death—
Mystical Symbolism in the Surviving Crosses that carry deep, deliberate symbolism and and the best-preserved cross at Geddington is unique in its elaborate use of rosette patterns. These roses and other floral motifs are seen as a direct reference to Eleanor’s Spanish heritage and her love of gardening. In medieval Christian mysticism, the rose is a powerful symbol of the Virgin Mary, linking Queen Eleanor’s memory and purity directly to the mother of Christ.
The route Eleanor’s coffin took, which the crosses mark, was considered a special type of road known as a ‘Corpseway’ or ‘Lich Way.’ In folk belief, any path on which a corpse was ceremonially carried was spiritually charged and even became a permanent, sacred public right-of-way, blessed by the passage of the dead soul. The crosses, by formally marking the overnight stops on this most famous of Corpseways, effectively sanctified the entire 200-mile route.
Eleanor died at the age of 49 (only 6 of her children were still alive at this time) of some sort of fever or infection, this must have been painful for the King that loved her, and he was at her side when she finally died of a ‘slow fever’. He stayed with her dead body for 3 days before working with designers to come up with ways to remember his Queen.
However he did marry again 9 years later – he was around 60 years old and Margaret his new bride (the daughter of Kind Phillip lll of France) was about 17. There are no reports of Eleanor coming back to haunt Edward! but popular legend that the ghost of Queen Eleanor still roams Caernarfon Castle, lamenting her lost husband or troubled over the bloodshed in Wales, persists today.
The Edwardian Conquest of Wales and fought over 2 campaigns 1277 and then 1282.
Eleanor was pregnant (remember all those pregnancies!)with the future Edward ll at Caernarfon Castle (she accompanied Edward in a lot of his military campaigns) when she went into labour.
The birth place of the new royal prince (1284) was likely no coincidence though- being the very first English Prince of Wales and being born on welsh soil, was a statement worth making. All the money from the Crown’s Welsh lands was now his; an unfortunate reality of a situation for the Welsh nobility who found themselves after years of fighting in a hopeless situation.
I’m not sure Eleanor was ready to die at such a relatively young age but maybe like Henry she was able to not forget but to transmute feelings of protest and despair into actions and thoughts that honour the memory of what was lost while enabling both the ghost and the survivor to move forward? And her enduring presence in the minds of others especially her husband is rather a case of integrating, not forgetting the loss.
Have you visited Geddington, Hardingstone, or Waltham Cross? Which destroyed cross would you love to see rebuilt?
Let me know in the comments below! And hey, why not plan your own ‘Eleanor Crosses’ road trip this year? Happy history hunting!
Until next time dear friends x Sharing is easy ……………………….
