The Cross and Hand

Cross and Hand complete with present day offerings

On a lonely hill above the village of Batcombe a humble chalk pillar stands close to the roadside verge. For reasons unknown it has been fenced in by authorities perhaps fearing possible escape or kidnap by renegade livestock.
Even though it is so unprepossessing in appearance it has been around way longer than you or me...in fact no one really knows its significance; while its name, the Cross and Hand refers to no remaining visible decoration.

It could be Medieval or it could be even Roman; a spare pillar from a villa, or maybe a humble boundary marker.

The Cross and Hand, though, has literary pretentions as Hardy gave it a walk-on role role in his novel, 'Tess of the D'urbervilles'.
Tess's seducer Alec D'Urber ville forces her to... 'put your hand on that stone hand and swear you will never tempt me by your charms or ways.'

It makes a focal point for a glorious off-road ride or walk (click here) best taken at drier times of the year.