TreeAlive
‹ Sites and Monuments Record, Ireland

Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland

Mass-rock

Rathduff (Rathconrath By.), County Westmeath, Ireland

Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915) covering the location of Mass-rock, Rathduff, County Westmeath, with a pin at the register's coordinates
Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915), covering this location. Courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. The pin is ours, placed from the register's coordinates.

The record

Townland
Rathduff (Rathconrath By.)
County
Westmeath
Country
Ireland
First-edition OS map
Not indicated
Latest-edition OS map
Not indicated
Coordinates
53.55377, -7.53595
SMR number
WM018-157----

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1790 map "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

Historical maps covering this location

  • 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1811 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

Get directions ↗

This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗

The National Monuments Service's description

Rathduff mass-rock situated on NNE facing rock outcrop with good views to N and E. Curving field boundary depicted on 1837 ed. OS 6-inch map represents the quarried face of the rock outcrop. Large irregular shaped boulder (H 0.75m; L 1.2m x Wth 0.8m) with an encircled (diam. 0.22m) sunken cross (dims. 0.16m x 0.16m) carved on N face of boulder. Flat-topped surface of boulder was used as an altar during penal times. Rough flagstone seat located to E. The estate records of William Meade Smythe recorded that there 'is a rock called (Carraig an Affrin) tradition tells that a Mass was celebrated at this rock in the penal days. A cross with circle round it is quite plain to be seen on it and must be cut on it to commemorate the deed. I
have heard it stated that people, old men and women, could be seen praying at this rock in olden times' (igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/westmeath/land/legends.txt).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 29 November 2017

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Sites and Monuments Record data: National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Record text is reproduced unchanged. National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland · CC BY 4.0
All Mass-rock in Westmeath All County Westmeath records All Ireland Heritage registers Historical markers (US)National Register of Historic Places (US)
See your own family's places on a living map