The Sebastopol Cross

posted by John Winn

In the autumn of 2012 I carried out some research into the history of the Wensleydale Cricket League in which I was assisted by a number of people with connections to Spennithorne Cricket Club, members of the league from 1948, a year after its inception, until its demise in 1999. A name much associated with that club and the village was that of the van Straubenzee family who in the eighteenth century settled in North Yorkshire from what is now Belgium. The present cricket field was donated by Philip van Straubenzee as was the pavilion when the club reformed in 1947.

The family had strong military connections and Charles van Straubenzee was wounded at the Battle of Sebastopol in the Crimea but was able to bring back with him a remarkable souvenir, namely the Sebastopol Cross which today stands in the family burial plot at the twelfth century St Michael and All Angels Church in Spennithorne. Yesterday non cricketing business took me to Wensleydale and within a short distance of the village which gave me the opportunity to rectify an omission from my previous visit, namely to take a photograph of the cross.

The Sebastopol Cross

On a cold but sunny day I could not resist the short walk to the cricket field from where there are views of the church and Spennithorne Hall

And the sheep were enjoying good grazing on the outfield where cricket will be played on April 29th when Spennithorne and Harmby to give them their full title, will entertain Crakehall in a Nidderdale league Div 5 match, We might expect keen rivalry between two clubs who played against each other in the Wensleydale league many years ago