1. A place-name occurring in several English counties, presumably indicating the site of a stone cross (now destroyed) formerly known by this designation.
The present Ordnance Map shows places so named (1) about 2 miles S.E. of Shrewsbury; (2) about 2 miles S.E. of Stafford; (3) about 2 miles S.E. of Banbury; (4) near Bury St. Edmunds (see quot. a. 1500); (5) near Ludlow. See also quot. 1893. All the places seem to be at cross-roads. It is said that the remains of the ‘weeping cross’ near Banbury were removed in 1803 (Beesley, Hist. Banbury, 1841); with reference to that near Ludlow cf. quot. 1826. It is usually assumed that the name indicates that acts of devotion at these crosses were enjoined upon penitents, but there appears to be no evidence of this. Pennant’s explanation (quot 1782) seems to be merely a conjecture; another conjecture (Beesley., Hist. Banbury) is that the cross marked the place at which bodies carried to interment were set down for the bearers to rest.
[a. 1500. in East Anglian (1887–8), II. 226 [Bury St. Edmunds.] Falda incipit juxta riperam apud Wlnothes, et procedit ita ulterius ascendendo versus Austrum usque ad Crucem Lacrymantem.]
1675. Ogilby, Britannia (1698), 39. At 21′3 come to Weeping-Cross a noted Place, where 4 Ways meet;… and at 22′7 enter Banbury.
1782. Pennant, Journ. from Chester, 78. After leaving the town [Stafford] I crossed the Wolverhampton Navigation at Radford Bridge…. A little further is Weeping Cross; so stiled from its vicinity to the antient place of execution.
1826. T. Wright, Hist. Ludlow (ed. 2), 175. Passing along the road which leaves the town at the bottom of Holgate Fee, we come to a small tump of earth and stones which marks the boundary of the parish. The name of the ‘Weeping Cross,’ yet retained by this land mark serves to preserve the traditionary record of a Cross.
1893. Dublin Rev., July, 557. There is a road outside Salisbury named ‘King John’s Lane,’ leading from Clarendon to Old Sarum; it is crossed by another road, and at this point there is a clump of elm-trees. These trees are known as ‘the weeping cross trees.’
2. Used allusively, esp. in the proverbial phrase To come home by Weeping Cross, to suffer grievous disappointment or failure.
Cf. the occasional variants ‘to come home by broken cross’ (1662 Howell, New Engl. Gramm., Peramb. Spain, 68) and ‘to make our prayers at whining crosse’ (1602: see WHINING vbl. sb. b).
1579. Gosson, Sch. Abuse (Arb.), 46. They … pull the house on their owne heds, returne home by weeping Crosse, and fewe of them come to an honest ende.
1580. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 243. The tyme will come when comming home by weeping crosse, thou shalt confesse [etc.].
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier, D 2. Heerein I hold the Tailor for a necessary member to teach proud nouices the way to weeping crosse.
1612. Wither, Pr. Henries Obseq., Ded. A 3. For here I mourne, for your-our publike losse; And doe my pennance, at the Weeping Crosse.
1625. Fletcher & Shirley, Nt. Walker, I. i. One is a kind of weeping cross, Jack, A gentle Purgatory.
1643. Trapp, Gen. iv. 16. God fetcht Jonas home again by weeping-cross.
1665. J. Davies, trans. Scarron’s Novels, II. iv. 125. And so the poor Boy was forc’d to get back again to Madrid with a weeping-cross.
1741. Ozell, trans. Brantome’s Sp. Rhodomontades (1744), 56. Making an Irruption into Provence, he came home by Weeping-Cross.
1884. W. Morris, Archit. & Hist. (1900), 16. How different that [sc. artistic finish] is from mechanical or trade finish, some of us, at least, have learned, maybe, by the way of Weeping Cross.
