Hunts Cross Railway Station's Cross
Since Hunts Cross Railway Station was not specifically built for Christian worship, why does 'Cross' feature in the name? Can a cross be found there?
Hunts Cross Station
Not one of the biggest stations in the world, Hunts Cross Station (opened 1873) is located one mile south of Woolton and a few miles from the centre of the English port of Liverpool. Unlike many stations in England, this one has retained much of its Victorian charm and is classified as a Grade II listed building.
A popular theory on the origin of the name is that the area was the meeting place for local fox huntsmen before they Tally Ho'd on their 'sport'. And, unlike most 'cross' stations in this series, there actually is an old stone cross in the vicinity.
Original Hunts Cross
(Click image to enlarge)
Originally the cross was situated on a roundabout at the junction of Hillfoot and Speke Road. When this road section was widened and traffic lights installed in the 1960s, the cross was moved about 20 metres to the west to a traffic island between Hillfoot Road (a service road at this point) and Hillfoot Avenue. There are similar crosses in the nearby villages, giving us Cronton Cross, Woolton Cross, and Garston Cross. All these may have been used as Market Crosses.
All that remains of the cross now is a short upright stone pillar on three steps.
