What is recorded here

Yes. An octagonal sandstone font from Follistown has stood outside Johnstown Roman Catholic church since 1852, its plain basin and narrow limestone stem exposing a junction that may never have belonged together. It is the kind of displaced church object that stops a visitor because preservation seemed more urgent than understanding. Water may have entered that basin for baptisms, rituals or ordinary cleaning, while the church around it changed hands, faith and memory.

The undecorated sandstone font from Follistown (ME025-027002-) was moved to Johnstown Roman Catholic church, c. 3km to the W, in 1852 (Cogan 1862-70, 2, 241) where it is set up outside the door. It is octagonal (ext. dim. 0.65-0.67m; H 0.5m) with a circular basin (diam. 0.51m; D 0.2m) and chamfered under-panels. It sits uncomfortably on an octagonal stem (H 0.38m) that narrows slightly at the waist where there is a horizontal moulded rib (Wth 0.05m). The stem is limestone and might not belong with the basin (Roe 1968, 119-21). The apostle font from Kilcarne is inside the church (ME025-041----), and a pier (ME025-041002-) from the cloister arcade at Bective abbey (ME031-026----) is displayed on the outside of the church tower. See attached image. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 17 December, 2014

The octagonal sandstone font was originally from Follistown and moved to Johnstown Roman Catholic church around 1852; its undecorated style suggests an early medieval origin, and it is significant as a relocated ecclesiastical relic now used outside the church entrance.

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