A look at the history of Ana Cross, Rosedale, with Dr Emma Wells

Standing exposed atop the rugged open moor above Rosedale, Ana Cross is a landmark that links thousands of years of human activity in the North York Moors. The monument stands above a prehistoric round barrow, a burial mound dating from the Late Neolithic or Bronze Age. The mound occupies a prominent natural rise and measures c.18 metres in diameter. Although weathering and time have softened its profile, the earthwork remains clearly visible, with some archaeologists believing that an encircling ditch may still survive below the surface, preserving evidence of the monument’s original construction and use.

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Featured image for article

The cross itself reflects a later chapter in the history of the site. During the medieval period, a wayside or sanctuary cross stood here to guide parishioners across the unmarked terrain of often harsh and featureless moorland from outlying settlements, funeral processions, long-distance pilgrimage routes or merely as a path linking the settlements of Lastingham and Rosedale Priory.

What visitors see today, however, is not the original medieval cross. The present structure is a reproduction, erected in 1949 after the historic cross, known as Ain or One Howe Cross, was removed to the crypt of Lastingham Church for preservation. Following damage caused by collapse during the winter of 1995, the monument was repaired and restored in 1998. The replacement stands c.3 metres high and is mounted on substantial stone bases joined by iron ties.

Today, the cross remains a familiar landmark for walkers but the prehistoric burial mound, the medieval route marker and the modern reconstruction together illustrate how successive generations have reused and reinterpreted the same prominent spot on the moor. Protected as a Scheduled Monument, Ana Cross continues to connect the distant past with the present-day North York Moors.

Address: Ana Cross, Lastingham, York YO18 8SE

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