Wroth Stone

Does anyone know the purpose of the Wroth Stone in a field just off the A45 near Stretton on Dunsmore? I know about about the cross and the Wroth Silver but I have no idea what the stone was used for. I was last near the stone about 50 years ago so it may have gone by now but as I think it is very ancient it may have been preserved. Les

News to me Les. Lifted from the web: "Among the issues of the hundred in 1236-7 was 'warth-penny' and among the franchises in 1628 'the wroth monies'. The payment of the 'wroth silver', as it is now called, has continued to the present time. (fn. 9) At dawn on St. Martin's Day (11 November) the steward of the Duke of Buccleuch and the representatives of such parishes and townships as owe these dues assemble on Knightlow Hill (in Ryton-on-Dunsmore) round a large stone, the base of a former cross, with a square hole (originally for the shaft of the cross) in it. The steward reads the 'Charter of Assembly' and calls the names of the parishes; their representatives then cast the required money into the hollow of the stone, saying 'Wroth Silver'. The penalty for non-payment is to provide a white bull with red nose and ears, or to pay a fine of 20s. for every penny not produced. The fees paid in this century are: 1d. from Arley, Astley, Birdingbury, Bramcote, Barnacle and Shilton, Little Walton, and Woolscot; 1½d. from Bourton and Draycot, Napton, Radford Semele, and Whitley; 2½d. from Bubbenhall, Churchover, Ladbroke, Princethorpe, Stretton-on-Dunsmore"

Thanks for reply. I have now found an image of the stone in the Pictures of Coventry site. Just enter Knightlow Hill in the search. I now think that the Wroth Stone was just a socket to hold the cross. Les

When I worked at Lawford Heath we used to see people walking to that stone/hill along the A45 about 7.30 in the morning as some kind of pilgrimage at a certain time of the year.

Calendar Customs - 11 November

Approx five and a half miles north-east of Coventry there was another 'cross', this was on Knightlow Hill in the boundary of Ryton-on-Dunsmore. It rested upon an artificial mound on an ascending road made in the coaching days to make it easier to ascend and descend. Here the Duke of Buccleuch used to collect his wroth money from the parishes, on Nov 11th at sunrise. From this elevated mound could be seen the three spires of Coventry. Four fir trees stood, one at each angle to the cross. The trees represented four knights that were buried there, but the trees were young trees so hardly likely. Knightlow, then in plain English, means the soldier's grave.

Link to "Wroth Stone" thread

Sorry not aware of the 'wroth stone' topic, tried 'Cross' and other names and nothing came up.

Wroth Silver representatives from a 19th century photo.

Heathite, thank you, had no idea what the stone looked like, do know.

There are two more images in the library pictures - search for wroth.