Cross - High cross

The National Monuments Service's description

The Crosses at Monasterboice have been described in some detail by Roe (1981) and Harbison (1992) with full references. Two crosses remain complete (the South: LH021-062007- and West: LH021-062008-), while there is also the head and part of the shaft of a third (North Cross: LH021-062009-), now re-erected on a partly modern shaft. Two other cross fragments (LH021-062020-; LH021-062021-) were found while grave-digging and are stored in the National Museum of Ireland (Lucas 1973, 198). One is the arm of a cross, badly damaged and worn, and the other is possibly the head of a similar cross. Both are of sandstone and appear to be from crosses of the same proportions (Roe 1981, 67-9). Roe (ibid. 15) states that the wealth and variety of the pictorial illustrations on the South and West Crosses are unparalleled elsewhere in Ireland.

The West Cross, also called the Tall Cross, situated close to the North Church and the round tower, is 7.1m high and is again sculpted all over with biblical scenes. As with Muiredach’s Cross the crucifixion is in the centre of the cross head on the west side. There is some debate about the identification of the scene on the east side of the cross head, which has been variously interpreted as David among the Israelites, the Ascension, the Second Coming of Christ or Joshua. The Old Testament scenes are largely on the east face and the New Testament scenes on the west face.

This is a National Monument, in state ownership: No. 94.

See the attached view from E

The above description is derived from the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Revised by: Con Manning

Date of upload: 11 May 2016

References

Lucas, A.T. 1973 National Museum of Ireland: archaeological acquisitions in the year 1969. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 103, 177-213.

Roe, H.M. 1981 Monasterboice and its monuments. Dundalk. County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society.

Harbison, P. 1992 The high crosses of Ireland: an iconographical and photographic survey, 3 vols. Dublin. Royal Irish Academy. Bonn. Dr. Rudolf Habelt GMBH.