Cross

A 1710/11 map the town showing a cross towards the E end of the main street, suggests that the original market place was located in this area, S of the main street and probably infilled with a 'Malt House' (KK020-060018-) (White 1710/11). There is a triangular fair green at the W end of the town which Thomas (1992, vol. 2, 115) suggests may have originally been outside the town but which was incorporated as a result of an expansion westward. The cross indicated on the White map was probably the market cross and this appears to have subsequently moved to the fair green which effectively became the market place. Local tradition relates that, ‘the Cromwellians broke the cross down and that the pieces were scattered on the green’ (Drennan 1965, 58). Only the base of the cross survives. It has been placed on a circular concrete plinth on the SW grassy island within the green. It consists of a straight-sided plain block of limestone, square in plan (dims. 0.6m x 0.6m), which tapers towards the top. The top of the base has a rectangular socket (dims. 0.18m x 0.2m; D 0.18m). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 22 March 2021

A local church or high cross; wider significance not recorded.