Graveslab in Gowran

Lying on the floor in the NW angle of a 19th-century C of I church which was built on the former chancel of the 13th-century church of St Mary’s (KK020-060006-) in Gowran. A long narrow slab (total L 2.27m; upper surface L 2.18m; total Wth 0.46m; D 0.33m) which is cracked across the middle of the slab where a triangular segment has been cut out of the slab. It is fractured horizontally and vertically at the cross-head, with fissue cracking on the suface around the floriated shaft. It is decorated with an incised cross consisting of a three-armed cross-head with fleur-de-lis terminals, a small circular knop below the cross-head and a larger circular knop below this, with a fleur-de-lis springing from a stem at the top of the knop on each side of the shaft. The cross-shaft terminates with a barred knop, a fleur-de-lis springing from either side of the shaft, another barred knop and a larger fleur-de-lis at the base. Stylistically this dates to the 13th/14th century. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 19 August 2019

A medieval Christian gravestone; significant as a reused early Christian or high cross slab incorporated into later ecclesiastical structures.