Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Penitential station
Inishcaltra Or Holy Island, County Clare, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Inishcaltra Or Holy Island
- County
- Clare
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Stone (1920)
- Coordinates
- 52.91372, -8.44901
- SMR number
- CL029-009022-
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
4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1790 map "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1811 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Situated 2.5m from the SE shore of Inis Cealtra, c. 40m S of St. Mary’s church (CL029-009008-) in a rough, marshy area. Named ‘Stone’ in Gothic script on the 1920 OS 6-inch map and listed in the RMP (1996) as 'Potential site - name'. The monument comprises 3 stones. An unworked conglomerate base stone ( Wth 0.74m; L 1m; H 0.22m) aligned NW-SE has a round-bottomed channel (Wth 0.2m; D 0.12m) extending along its long axis. Two limestone slabs are attached on top, overhanging the channel and meeting along its long axis. The larger slab (max. L 0.98m; max. Wth 0.4m; T 0.13m) is at NE. It has a pronounced convex curve on its NE face and a less pronounced concave curve on the SW face. The smaller slab is roughly rectangular (max. L 0.5m; max. Wth 0.28m; T 0.12m). Some of the channel is exposed at each end beneath this slab. There may have been other stones covering each end (Macalister 1916-17, 144). This group of stones is known traditionally as the ‘Bargaining stone’ as people joined hands through the channel to seal a bargain or a promise.
Compiled by: Mary Tunney
Date of upload: 21 October 2015
References
Macalister, R.A.S 1916-17 The history and antiquities of Inis Cealtra. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, 33C, 93-174.
Nearby in the register
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Graveslabunder 1 mi
- Cross-slabunder 1 mi
- Ritual site - holy wellunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.