Cross - Wayside cross

The National Monuments Service's description

Described in 1980 as 'Only the head and base of the cross survive. The head is a plain solid ring (dims. H 0.38; Wth 0.62m; T 0.17m) with 2 surviving arms (L 0.12m; H 0.18m). None of the shaft survives and the cross head is featureless. The base (H 0.19m; L 0.60m) is a damaged block of stone repaired with cement and cemented on top of a slightly larger stone which appears to have been deliberately shaped. It may be the original base, perhaps the cross had a stepped base? The socket (dims 0.2m x 0.24m) cut into the upper surface of the base is damaged and has been repaired with cement. The cross is against a roadside fence beside a modern barnyard gate' (SMR file). The cross was described in 1928 as 'the head and portion of the shaft of a small cross with a plain solid ring; the upper arm is missing. The cros was about 4 ft. 6 in. (1.36m) in height and the socket stone 2ft. (0.6m) by 1 ft. 9 in. (0.52m). It is built into the N fence of the road leading to Castlepollard near the cross roads 1 mile W of Fore; and being covered by the hedge is difficult to find' (Crawford 1928, 61, no. 13). This wayside cross was drawn in the 19th century by George Du Noyer (George Victor Du Noyer, “on road side near Fore. Td. Of Lackill and Moortown, Co. W. Meath. Sheet 3/4. Calvary Cross,” Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, accessed January 24, 2020, http://rsai.locloudhosting.net/items/show/23414).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 21 June 2010

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.