Cross - High cross

The National Monuments Service's description

Located 70m W of a church (DG012-002001-) and graveyard (DG012-002011-). This high cross, which is a National Monument (No. 25), is recorded by the Donegal Survey as follows: ‘Further W in the same field is the ringed-head of a second large cross (DG012-002007-). This is 1.65m wide. It now survives only 1m high, however, part of a limb of the same cross is now lying inside the church. This fits on to the ringed-head and would bring its height to about 1.55m. The ringed-head is now lying on the ground and the underside was not examined; however the detached section inside the church gives some impression of what a part of the design is like. The upper, visible side of the cross consists of a ringed head with hollowed angles which, however, have not been carved right through. At the centre of the cross is a circle inside which eight coils connected by C-curves are arranged in cruciform fashion. There is a small circle at the very centre. In each of the hollowed angles of the cross there are two concentric circles. On the two arms and the top of the cross four triquetras are arranged inside a circle. The back of the top detached section of the cross has a design similar to the centre of the visible side and by analogy with the front it is likely that this is repeated on the two arms. Just beside this cross-head which is lying on the ground, is a large boulder into which a socket .6m long N-S, .17m wide and 0.22m deep has been cut.’

The following description is taken from, P. Harbison (2002) The High Crosses of Ireland: An Iconographical and Photographic Survey, 3 vols., Habelt, Bonn, vol. 1. 44-5.
West Cross
'Of the West Cross, only the head and probably the base survives. They lie about 50m west of the standing cross (DG012-002008-), and almost in the centre of the field. The base measures c. 1.30m wide and 1.40m broad. The head of the cross is 1.68m high and was originally more than 1m across the arms. The head is imperforate, and the cylinders are attached to the inner surface of the ring. Around the edges of both shaft there is a roll moulding. At the centre of the head there is a roundel with five interconnected C-shapes with their backs to a central boss with central depression. A similar roundel is found on the shaft, while that on the top may have had a fretwork pattern. Stored in the ruined church nearby is an arm-fragment which presumably belonged to this cross. One side is decorated with a roundel very similar to that in the centre of the cross, while the roundel on the other side is much abraded, and may have borne an interlace pattern'.

Attached images:
DG012-002007-_01.JPG High cross and socketed stone viewed from W
DG012-002007-_02.JPG High cross and socketed stone viewed from W
DG012-002007-_03.JPG High cross viewed from W
DG012-002007-_04.JPG High cross viewed from E
DG012-002007-_05.JPG Socketed stone

Compiled by Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 15 December 2015

References

Lacy, B. with Cody, E., Cotter, C., Cuppage, J., Dunne, N., Hurley, V., O'Rahilly, C., Walsh, P. and Ó Nualláin, S. 1983 Archaeological Survey of County Donegal. A description of the field antiquities of the County from the Mesolithic Period to the 17th century A.D. Lifford. Donegal County Council.