Stone sculpture

The National Monuments Service's description

The arcading on the exterior of the W wall of the Cathedral (WA040-008002-) was re-set at some time, possibly the 17th century (O'Keefe 1992, 89-91), and consists of a row of thirteen panels on a chamfered string course. Nine of the panels have figure carvings, although all may have had carvings originally (Ryland 1824, 330). The iconography of some the panels has been interpreted, where possible, as: Majestas, The Last Judgement and a number of bishops (Mac Nab 1987, 62-3; O’Keeffe 1992, 92-5). The panels are placed above two (originally three) larger lunettes, that on the N contains three sculpted panels, one of which depicts Adam and Eve, while that on the S contains seven panels combined into two scenes; the Judgement of Solomon over the Adoration of the Magi (Westropp 1903, 368-70; Mac Nab 1987, 63-5; O'Keefe 1992, 98-101).

McNab, S. L. (1987) The Romanesque sculptures of Ardmore Cathedral, Co. Waterford. JRSAI 117, 50-68.
O’Keefe, T. (1992) Romanesque architecture and sculpture at Ardmore. in C. Nolan, T. P. Power and D. Cowman, (eds), Waterford – history and socitey, 73-104, Geography Publications, Dublin.
Westropp, T. J. (1903) Notes on the antiquities of Ardmore. JRSAI, 33, 353-80.

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Waterford' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload/revision: 20 October 2011