The Market Cross that once stood in Abingdon’s marketplace was erected in the 1440s by the Fraternity of the Holy Cross. The cross was destroyed by Parliamentarian forces in 1644 for whom it would have been an afront. From 1640, there were acts of parliament  and a parliamentary Committee for the Demolition of Monuments of Superstition and Idolatry which included stain glass windows and Market Crosses.

The original appearance can be guessed from studying the Coventry cross (above), built between 1541 and 1545. The Coventry cross was modelled on its Abingdon counterpart.

The painting, located on the south end of Long Alley Almshouses, is a rough plaster artwork and, according to Agnes Baker, depicts the cross in its altered state, having undergone significant restoration in 1605. Perhaps some of the more risky statues were removed.

The details of the sculptures on the cross are sketchy.  It is believed it featured figures of kings and saints, together with shields, and vanes representing prominent citizens who contributed towards the cross. Behind the cross are Long Alley Almshouses, St Helens Church, a bridge, and other buildings, all of which were constructed with the help of the Guild of the Holy Cross.

Information from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventry_Cross
Agnes Baker (1963) Fifty-Three Articles (Chapter on Francis Little)
Julie Spraggon (2000) – Puritan Iconoclasm in England 1640-1660

Image of Coventry Cross from The Mirror (1824)