Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Stone head
Milltown (fore By.), County Westmeath, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Milltown (fore By.)
- County
- Westmeath
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.64123, -7.29601
- SMR number
- WM007-131----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Stone head possibly of medieval date incorporated into fabric of SW gable of outbuildings dating from the late 19th century or early 1900s. According to local landowner the stone head was always in the gable of the outbuildings who thought it was contemporaneous with the outbuildings. It is possible that the stone head may have come from Faughalstown Church (WM007-045----) located 2.4km to the W or from Mortimers Castle (WM007-044---) located 3km to the W. Lichen covered round-shaped face with bulbous eyes, broken nose and thick lipped open mouth. Slight suggestions of grooving on forehead.
Stone heads out of context like this carving are very difficult to date based on visual inspection alone as they can date from the Iron Age to the post-medieval period. The stone head possibly dates from the medieval period as it compares well with other stone heads which display grooving on forehead and thick lipped open mouth. The facial expression is very similar to the carved head (DU023-001004-) from Merrion Castle (DU023-001001-), Co. Dublin.
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload: 2 November 2018
Nearby in the register
- Moated siteunder 1 mi
- Ringfort - rathunder 1 mi
- Enclosureunder 1 mi
- Children's burial groundunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.