Cross - Wayside cross

The National Monuments Service's description

Drawn by Du Noyer in the 19th century (George Victor Du Noyer, “Small cross of road side Td. Of Foyran. 300 yards WNW of the old church. Co. W Meath. Sheet 1/4,” Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, accessed January 22, 2020, http://rsai.locloudhosting.net/items/show/23442.). Described in 1928 as 'A plain cross 3ft. 6in. (1.05m) in height with an unpierced ring similar to No. 1 (WM001-035----). It is unbroken, and stands on the west fence of the road one eight of a mile N.W. of Foyran Church (WM001-042----)' (Crawford 1928, 57, No. 2).
Visited and described in 1980 as 'A limestone cross (H 0.91m; T 0.16m) with a solid ring-head (diam. 0.52m). The cross is made from a single piece of stone and it is set in the outer edge of the top of a broad field bank (NW-SE) on the SW side of the modern roadway a short distance (c.250m) W of Foyran Church (WM001-042----). There is no sign of a base, the cross shaft appears to be set into the bank itself. The SW face of the cross is damaged slightly just above the ring but otherwise the cross is in good condition. The arms are short (L 0.12m) and the shaft tapers in width from the bottom (Wth 0.24m) upwards (top Wth 0.21m). It is not now possible to determine the height of the cross. The cross is plain with no sign of carving or decoration' (SMR file). This cross is described in the OS Field Name Books of 1837 as the 'Remains of an old cross placed in the fence on the roadside opposite the old church of Foyran. The upper portions of it are all that remain' (SMR file). Wayside Cross (WM001-041----) which is similar in shape and size located 220m to SE. Church and graveyard (WM001-042----/042001-) located 240m to SE, holy well (WM001-043----) located c.500m to SE.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 3 December 2009

References

Crawford, H. S. 1928 List of the Wayside Crosses near Fore, County Westmeath. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 58, 57-62.