Cross-slab

The National Monuments Service's description

On a gentle E-facing slope, just below the crest of a hill, in rolling grassland, c. 50m NE of a stream which flows into a river c. 400m to the E. In the graveyard (KK009-013002-) associated with the medieval church of Coolcashin (KK009-013001-) and another cross-slab (KK009-019009-) from that graveyard. A small fragment of a rectangular sandstone cross-slab (dims. 0.21m x 0.2m; T 0.045m) with a straight-sided edge. The smooth flat surface is decorated with a number of straight incised lines indicating a border and within this frame there is the start of a double-lined curve, presumably the semi-circular terminal of one arm of a Latin cross. On the flat underside there are traces of mortar where the stone has been re-used in building a stone wall, presumably the graveyard wall at Coolcashin (KK009-019002-). Harney (2011, 124) refers to similar cross-slabs from Clonmacnoise which have a suggested date of late 9th-10th century and from High Island, Co. Galway which have been dated to the 10th/11th century based on the radiocarbon dates from associated burials. The cross-slab is currently located at the parochial house in Lisdowney (see KK009-123----).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of revised upload: 20 July 2018

References

Harney, L. 2011 Medieval burial and pilgrimage within the landscape of Glendalough: the evidence of the crosses and cross-slabs. In C. Doherty, L. Doran and M. Kelly (eds), Glendalough: city of God, 112-36. Dublin. Four Courts Press.