What is recorded here

Bullaun stone lies broken in a Crookstown pasture, its flat side facing outward as if pulled from a wall that no longer stands. The off-centre hollow suggests water flowed somewhere specific, perhaps feeding a church or graveyard nearby. The missing chunk does not weaken the place; it points toward the lost structure and the hands that shaped the basin.

In the village of Crookstown, In pasture, on private land. A possible bullaun stone was found lying along a field boundary, and reported to NMS in April 2021. It is a rather large block of limestone, sub-rectangular in shape originally (L 0.56m; Wth 0.48m; H c. 0.30m) with rounded corners. A significant portion of the stone is broken off (c. 050m by 0.40m). The longer surviving side of the stone is flat, while the other sides are rounded and slant inwardly, suggesting that the stone may have been set against a wall or flat surface. The hollow is circular (Diam. 0.28m; D 0.15m), but it is not centred within the stone. This is not the original location of the bullaun stone, and it may be associated with the early graveyard and church located c. 50m to the NE of the field where it is currently located (CO083-075001- and CO083-075002-). Compiled by: Anne-Julie Lafaye Date of upload: 25 November 2025

Likely dating to the early Christian period, bullaun stones were often used for ritual purposes, such as anointing or as holy water basins in association with monastic sites. Local folklore may link the stone to saintly traditions or healing practices.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.