Why are places called 'Cross'?
Question
There’s Banbury Cross, Gerrard’s Cross, King’s Cross, New Cross – why are they called Cross?Mike, High Wycombe
Answer
** Definitive **
Name: Ron, Crawley
Qualification: History lesson
Answer: When Queen Eleanor came back to London, every place the body stopped overnight, they had a cross erected in her memory.
(James O’Brien: Lovely answer, but she can’t have stopped at Charing Cross and King’s Cross – they’re very close.)
** Additional Info **
Name: Margie, Wandsworth
Qualification: An added nugget of information
Answer: French used to the be the official language of court, so Charing Cross used to be Chere Reine Cross – the cross of the Beloved Queen. It was the last place the body stopped. It was all erected by King Edward I. There were 12 original places called Cross, with the others being where crossroads were situated.
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