Cross - Wayside cross

The National Monuments Service's description

From King (1984, 107-08) Wayside cross. This cross is situated on the Market Green in Duleek. The base has an incised inscription ‘repaired in 1810’. The material is limestone. Dims: Lr shaft: H 1.84m; at base 0.22m x 0.23m; at top 0.4m x 0.23m; collar: H 0.28m; Wth 0.54m; H 0.42m; Upper shaft: H 0.53m; dims 0.34m x 0.2m; Base: dims 1m x 0.6m.
The cross consists of a lower shaft, collar and upper shaft, set in a rectangular base on a modern plinth; rectangular in section, and decorated in relief and false relief. The lower shaft has an inscription, a heraldic shield and figure sculpture. The saints on the E, N and S sides are labelled as follows: SANCE PETRE, SANCE PATRICE, SANCE KENANE, S.M. MAGD, S. TOME, S. ANDRV, S. KATRE, S. STEVEN, S. JACOBE.
At W: Above a shield with the Bathe and Dowdall arms impaled are the letter W. BATHE: 1 DOVDA. The following inscription occurs below, the first work of which is enlarged and decorated: THIS / CROSS / WAS BVI / LDED BY / IENNET DO / WDALL WIFE / TO WILLIAM / BATHE OF / ATHCARN / IVSTICE OF / HER MAIESTIS / COVRT OF / COMONPLEES / FOR HIM AND / HER ANO 1601 / HE DECEACED / THE 15 OF OC 1599 / BVRIED IN THE / CHVRCH OF / DVLEEK / WHOSE SOV / LES I PRAY / GOD TAKE TO / HIS MERCIE.
At E: Three redressed ogee-headed panels with saints. St. Peter, wearing an alb, chasuble, mitre, carrying the keys in his left hand and giving a blessing with his right. St. Patrick, wearing an alb and chasuble, carrying a Latin-type crozier and giving a blessing. St. Cianán, a demi-figure dressed as above, carrying a crook in his right hand and a book (?) in his left.
At N: St. Mary Magdalene, wearing a full-length cloak over a belted tunic. She has long wavy hair and her hands are joined. St. James’ hands are joined and he is dressed as a bishop with a cloak fastened at the neck. St. Thomas, a demi-figure dressed similarly to St. James.
At S: St. Andrew, carrying the cross saltire and wearing a mantle over his belted tunic with a pointed hat covering the entire head. St. Catherine has long wavy hair, is wearing a pleated tunic and carries a sword. St. Stephen has short straight hair, dressed as the other male saints and carrying a book in his right hand and a stone in his left. Collar: A truncated double-pyramid in shape. Each side has shields bearing the implements of Christ’s Passion, held by angels with very large wings. At W: Heart and crown of thorns, at E: Whipping post, scourges and ladder. At N: soldiers’ dice, rope and ring. At S: head depicting Christ’s features on the veil of Veronica or the head of Judas.
The upper shaft. At W: A squat figure with tightly curled hair wearing a mantle over trousers. At E: Seated figure, damaged, ‘Man of Sorrows’ (?). at N: a figure dressed in armour holding a shield and thrusting a sword into a dragon – St. George (?). at S: A tall figure apparently naked with a long cross-topped spear standing over a dragon – St. Michael in combat with the devil (?).
It is one of a pair of crosses set up by Jennet Dowdall for her first husband William Bathe. The inscription dates the cross to 1601. It is not complete: the W face of the upper shaft has been re-cut in relatively modern times and may originally have had a Crucifixion or ‘Taking down from the cross (Price 1942, Pls 33, 34).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Meath' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1987). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

See attached general view from the E (003), and images of St Andrew (005) on the S face and St Peter (010) on the E face.

Date of upload/revision: 14 August, 2014

This monument is subject to a preservation order made under the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014 (PO no. 177/1946).

References

King, H. 1984 Late medieval crosses in County Meath. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 84C, 79-115.

Price, L. (ed.) 1942 An eighteenth-century antiquary: the sketches, notes and Diaries of Austin Cooper, 1759-1880. Dublin.