Architectural fragment

The National Monuments Service's description

Described and drawn by Macnamara (1897, 78) being one of several well-cut jambstones which he discovered reused in a field wall to the W of a non-extant medieval church site Cill-mic-Ui-Donain (CL017-018----) - from which the architectural fragments apparently derived. Macnamara (ibid.) described this fragment as having an inclined scotia moulding six inches wide [c. 15cm], and a human head carved in alto-relievo at the top of the scotia. Described by Westropp (1900-1902, 140) as one of several late jamb stones ‘of an inclined door with hollow fluting at the angles, and a monk’s head at the top’. Swinfen (1992, 10) also illustrated this architectural fragment, which by the time of her writing had been moved and set upright in the front garden of a house c. 480m to the S (CL017-288----). This architectural fragment (H 0.53m; Wth 0.43m; T 0.28m) has a concave chamfer (Wth 0.15m; D 0.01m) with a human face (H 0.22m) carved in relief near the top.

 

Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy and Conn Herriott

 

Date of upload: 23-10-2025

References

Macnamara, G.U. 1897 Identification of "The Ascetic's Church," Leana, Co. Clare. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 7, 77-79.

Westropp, T.J. 1900-02 The churches of Co. Clare and the origin of the ecclesiastical divisions in that county. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, Series 3, vol. 6, 100-180.

Swinfen, A. 1992 Forgotten stones: Ancient church sites of the Burren and environs. Dublin. Lilliput Press.