What is recorded here

Fonts is a bullaun stone in Kilross, County Sligo, Ireland. In 1836 two holy water pots were recorded in Kilross townland, one built into the road, and they appeared on the 1838 map named Fonts about 80 metres west of Kilross Church. Wood-Martin wrote that two wells there were marked by two large rocks, one sculptured and called the holy-water stone. The area is now covered with overgrowth and the stones were not located, so whether they were bullaun stones remains uncertain.

In 1836 'two holy water pots (fonts)' (see SL021-055002-), one of which was built into the road, were recorded in Kilross townland (OSNB no. 2, 246). These were indicated on the 1838 OS 6-inch map and named 'Fonts', c. 80m W of Kilross Church (SL021-056001-). The area is covered with overgrowth and they were not located. Wood-Martin (1882 vol. 3, 352) mentioned that two wells in this area were marked by 'two large rocks, one of them sculptured, and called the "holy-water stone"...' The precise nature of these 'holy water pots' is uncertain, and the possibility that these were bullaun stones cannot be excluded. Compiled by: Archaeological Survey Unit, UCC with revisions by Patrick F. O'Donovan and Paul Walsh Date of upload: 20 June 2011

Likely dating to the early Christian period, the "Fonts, Kilross" may have been associated with a small chapel or holy site, used for baptism or ritual purification. The term "holy water pots" suggests a Christian tradition, though the stones may have reused or repurposed earlier prehistoric features.

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