Large Unboxed "No.7" Handstamp

The location of the Receiving House with the boxed "No.7" handstamp in the Cross Penny Post is not known for sure - an example is known used in 1829 from Theale, midway between Wedmore (which had the "No.9" handstamp) and Mark, so it has been postulated in the S&DPHG Journal that it was used in Mark.

In 1843 and 1846 examples of large unboxed "No.7" handstamps are known, all bearing a "CROSS" undated circle handstamp.  It has not been known where this handstamp was used.

An example below that I acquired recently has a manuscript address of Burnham, which was not in the Cross Penny Post (it was in the Bridgwater PP).  Strangely the entire, if actually posted in Burnham, has gone via Cross to Wells (which at this time was the Post Town for Cross) and thence to Bridgwater - definitely the long way round.  The entire talks about sending some forms that were to be printed either via the railway or via the postman.  In 1846, the only railway from Bridgwater was the Bristol & Exeter line that went via Highbridge, just over a mile from Burnham, so this is consistent with the entire coming from Burnham.

On the basis of this entire I postulate that Burnham was "No.7" in the Bridgwater Penny Post, and that the large unboxed "No.7" handstamp came from this usage (rather than from the Cross Penny Post).  That would explain where the handstamp came from BUT does not explain why the entire might have gone from Burnham via Cross and Wells to Bridgwater, rather than going directly (and much quicker).