Shrine

The National Monuments Service's description

Five meters N of the E end of the extended church (RO006-006001-) is a small saints shrine visible as a masonry structure (ext. dims 4.75m E-W; 2.45m N-S) surviving as foundations with a round-headed window embrasure (Wth 0.3m; H 0.85m) in the W gable. The doorway was at the W end of the S wall. Excavation in the interior (King 2002; 2004) recovered the remains of a complete inhumation and fragments of at least five others. A small stoup and a spud stone were also recovered, but there was no evidence of the roofing. Carbon 14 determinations between AD 1021-1216 to 2 sigma calibration were obtained from the burial. (King 2007)

This is a National Monument in state guardianship: No. 557

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 24 August 2010

References

King, H. 2002 Church Island, Lough Key, medieval tomb shrine. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2000: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 294, No. 860. Bray. Wordwell.

King, H. 2007 A medieval ‘Chapel Shrine' on Church Island, Lough Key, Co. Roscommon. In C. Manning (ed.), From ringforts to fortified houses, 353-386. Dublin. Wordwell .

King, H. 2004 Excavation of the High Cross in the medieval market place of Kells. in H. Roche, E. Grogan, J. Bradley, J. Coles and B. Raftery (eds) From megaliths to metal: essays in honour of George Eogan, 233-42. Oxford. Oxbow Books