THIS is the concluding part of our 12 ancient monuments as recognised by Historic England.

CANNINGTON SHAW:

As I have said before we are setting up a group to try and save it as it is which is classed as being 'at risk'. It is a late 19th century bottle shop with oval 'chimney' and remains of a furnace heating system. It was formerly the largest bottle making business in the world. An area of land bordering the monument has been included within the scheduled area as this is considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

THE NO 9 TANK HOUSE BUILDING JUBILEE GLASSWORKS:

This is now part of the World of Glass. It was set up in 1889 by Pilkington's glassmakers and continued in use until 1920. In the history of glass making in Britain this furnace is a radical departure from traditional techniques. The glass was formerly melted in large pots which were built inside a furnace and as each pot became exhausted another was built in its place.

In a Siemen's furnace the glass was melted in a brick lined tank and was fed with material and drawn off as required. A second innovation was the reuse of the heat used in the melt with a resulting saving of fuel. The tank was fuelled by a mixture of gas and air, heated before introduction into the furnace and this heat was reused to warm fire bricks in underground flues before reentry into the furnace.

ST THOMAS'S CHANTRY:

This is in the grounds of the cemetery close to the Hard Lane entrance. The monument includes the ruins of the medieval Roman Catholic chapel of St Thomas of Canterbury which is popularly known as Windleshaw Abbey. There was never an abbey on this site and the remains are of a small chantry established by Sir Thomas Gerard in 1415. In 1548 the chantry was abolished and the chapel fell into gradual decline.

During the centuries the ground around the chapel was used for Roman Catholic burials. The structure consists of a nave and west tower and are Grade II listed.

A significant number of surviving examples like this are identified as being nationally important. Until 2006 the condition of the ruins and associated standing cross were in a 'controlled' decay state. However there has been an outbreak of vandalism which includes smashing of gravestones and destruction of mortar joints in the chapel's masonry. There is a legend that during the English Civil War Prince Rupert fell in love with a local girl. When he was chased by the Roundheads he hid in the chantry and escaped his pursuers.

The monument includes a standing cross on a pedestal formed from three steps to the south of the chapel.

it was made as a churchyard cross and the date 1627 is carved on the base of the block which may indicate it was erected to commemorate the graveyard after the chapel was abandoned as a place of Roman Catholic worship.

Above the steps a base is formed from a single block on which is carved the name 'leo', cut by a 19th century restorer. On the east face is inscribed '1627 Thomas Martendal 19 years old. The cross is also Grade II listed.

I did read somewhere that it originally stood in what is now the town centre. Other crosses were Peasley Cross and Marshall’s Cross. Because of the religious clashes around the time of the Tudors, it was taken to its present position for its safety.