Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Font
Kilfenora, County Clare, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Kilfenora
- County
- Clare
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 52.99059, -9.21714
- SMR number
- CL016-015019-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1753 "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Under a window, against the S wall of the nave of Kilfenora Cathedral (CL016-015002-). A large square limestone font (0.74m sq in plan) with decorated sides (H 0.42m) narrowing markedly towards the bottom (from 0.74m to 0.55m). The font stands on four square legs (Wth 0.17m) on a large plinth (2.34m x 1.45m) that has moulded edges. It is missing its central column. Although the plinth appears to have been reworked the font appears to have been designed to be up against the wall as fluted vertical bands of decoration only occur on the three exposed sides. The decoration does not continue to the very top as the last 5-6cm of each side is sheared to vertical causing a scalloped shape where the design is interrupted. The bowl is circular in plan (diam. 0.52m; D 0.28m) and has a bevel at its lip, gently sloping sides and a circular opening (diam. 0.05m) at the bottom. Some damage is visible on the top surface of the font particularly towards the front and at the back left. Similarites between the decoration on the font and that on one of the windows suggest that this font dates to the 13th century (Swinfen 1992, 41-2).
CL016-015019-_01.jpg, CL016-015019-_02.jpg, and CL016-015019-_03.jpg attached.
Compiled by: Mary Tunney
Date of upload: 22 September 2014
References
Swinfen, A. 1992 Forgotten stones: Ancient church sites of the Burren and environs. Dublin. Lilliput Press.
Nearby in the register
- Tomb - effigialunder 1 mi
- Tomb - effigialunder 1 mi
- Tomb - effigialunder 1 mi
- Churchunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.