Inscribed stone in Grange (shelburne By., Fethard Ed)

A stone which was built into the wall of an outhouse at Fethard castle (WX050-011003-) was identified in the late 19th century as having an inscription. It is described as a ‘purplish red sandstone 29 and a half by 16 and a half by 3 inches (c. 0.76m x c. 0.43m x c. 0.1m)’ (Orpen 1904, 262) and its inscription was compared to a similar inscription on a cross at Carew in Pembrokeshire in Wales. It had a peculiar script, but nevertheless it was accepted as a Latin inscription with the name ‘Margit’ (Vigors 1897). Doubt was cast on the antiquity of the inscriptions (Lynn 1904; 1905), and Orpen (1904, 262-4, 268-9) thought that this stone was probably a copy of the Welsh stone made before 1863, although he was inclined to accept a similar inscription from a stone at Baginbun (WX050-015004-) as a more ancient copy of the geniune Welsh inscription. Both Irish inscriptions are probably 19th century copies of the Welsh one, but that from Fethard castle is now lost. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 14 April, 2014