Cross

The National Monuments Service's description

In a church (MA039-053001-). This carved stone cross was first recorded in the 1838 OS Letters by O’Donovan, who noted that it stood ‘unfixed against a small piece of wall to the south east of the old church’ (O’Flanagan 1927, 26 (11)). Its whereabouts in the graveyard were later lost. It was rediscovered in 2000, c. 25m SE of the church, set roughly upright with approximately a third of the shaft buried in the ground. It was subsequently installed in a glass-fronted display case within the ruined church.
The cross is carved from a substantial slab of stone to create a long shaft (L. 0.69; Wth. 0.16m; T. 010m) at base of which is a short tang (D. 0.06m), suggesting that it originally had a supportive base. The arms of the cross are relatively short (c. 0.40m in total extent) and are very close to the top of the shaft. On one face of the shaft the figure of the crucified Christ is carved in relief in a simple or ‘primitive’ style. The head, set at a slight angle to the body, is oval with the outline of eyes, nose and mouth simply but clearly depicted. A stylised crown of thorns, in the form of a series of small chevrons, radiates from the top of the head. The body is accurately outlined, with subtle shaping to indicate elbows, knees and ribcage. The faint outline of a loincloth is also apparent. The hands and feet are depicted in detail. A round-headed nail pierces the palm of each hand, and a single nail the overlapping feet. Beneath the feet is the faint outline of slightly raised rectangle. At the top of the cross, an INRI inscription, which was clearly legible in 1838 (ibid.), is now almost entirely eroded.
On the opposite face of the cross, the “Instruments of the Crucifixion” are depicted at the intersection of the arms and shaft: A claw hammer, a pliers or vice and a whip are carved in low false relief; all show evidence of weathering.
There is an oblique surface fracture line on the shaft, immediately beneath the arms, and it appears that, below this point, a surface layer of the stone has flaked off.
The style of the carving suggests that the cross dates to the Penal Era/18th century.

Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy

Date of upload: 21 February 2020