Cross

Now forms part of 'The Market Cross' (GA029-179006-), Tuam. What survives is a ringed head (H 1.1m, Wth 1.2m) of sandstone, of mid-12th-C date. It bears a figure of Christ crucified on one face and that of a bishop, flanked by two pairs of small figures, on the other, all in high relief. There are also a number of figures on the ends of the arms, while the undersides of the arms and ring are decorated with interlace and a chequer pattern. The head sprang from a rectangular shaft (L 0.35, Wth 0.25m) and it is crowned by a tenon (H 0.05m). (Harbison 1992, 175-6, no. 217) The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Galway Vol. II - North Galway'. Compiled by Olive Alcock, Kathy de hÓra and Paul Gosling (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1999). Date of upload: 05 August 2010

The high cross in Townparks, Tuam, was likely built in the mid-12th century and is dedicated to Christian themes, featuring a carved figure of Christ crucified and a bishop. It is significant as a rare surviving example of Romanesque stone sculpture in the region, reflecting the religious and artistic traditions of medieval Ireland.