Would you think this was weird?

[vejemom]

I bought my house in December, but with the weather, it's only now that I'm getting out to look at some of the farther out parts (30 acres). I was walking through the side pasture when I came to a 4 foot wooden cross, with nails driven into it like a crucifix. It stands in front of a grove of trees. For some reason it gave me the heebie-jeebies,, despite the fact I am a practicing Christian. Is something (or someone!) buried there - was the first thought that sprung to mind. That thought passed, and now I wonder if a neighbor came onto the property and rigged up a little place of quiet reflection. It is a pretty spot. I hate to disturb it if that's the case, but I need to fence that area in to run grazing animals this summer. What do you think it is? Would it sort of freak you out to find something like that?

[elephantmeg]

my guess is it was a site for a service sometime. I've been to services where you nail your sins to the cross (symbolically hammer in a nail into a cross to represent your sins). Do you have neighbors you could ask?

[123LuckyMom]

I'm sure nobody is buried there! Burial crosses are almost exclusively resurrection minded, not crucifixion minded. I'm also a Christian, and it would freak me out a little, because I would wonder about the who, when, and whys of it. If there's a way to contact the previous owners to ask about it, I would. If you can't find out more, I'd feel free to take it down if it didn't speak to me. It's your property now, so you should feel free to use it as you wish.

[wellyes]

I would take it down. It might be a big dog's grave, people definitely use crosses for dogs. Or it could have been part of a ceremony at some time. But since you don't like it, just take it down.

[vejemom]

I think the service scenario is the most likely explanation. I do need to contact the previous owner about a couple things, including the exact location of the property line in that area, lol. There are neighbors on that side. I actually wonder if it was one of them. They have about .5 acre lots abutting the road. My field is behind them, with only what's left of a 50 + year old cattle fence marking the property line. No one has used the field in a while, so it would have been easy enough for one of them to walk over.

[123LuckyMom]

I think the service scenario is the most likely explanation. I do need to contact the previous owner about a couple things, including the exact location of the property line in that area, lol. There are neighbors on that side. I actually wonder if it was one of them. They have about .5 acre lots abutting the road. My field is behind them, with only what's left of a 50 + year old cattle fence marking the property line. No one has used the field in a while, so it would have been easy enough for one of them to walk over.

If that's the case, I'd ask the neighbors. It's probably theirs, and I don't think they'd be offended if you asked them to move it slightly away from your property line since you're planning to fence. (And maybe they'll just take it down.)