What is recorded here

Kilgobbin church stands on the north slope of Three Rock Mountain, its plain rectangular walls holding a cross-head buried among stones until 1983. The granite fragment measures eighteen centimetres across and carries a circular central panel with short arms, one face showing arcs in relief that suggest a finished cross rather than a rough block. It may have crowned the gable as a finial, marking the building for people walking Kilgobbin Lane below. The cross-head has since disappeared from the ruins, leaving only the chamber where it emerged and the mountain air where it once stood.

Situated on the N slope of Three Rock Mountain on the S side of Kilgobbin Lane, near Stepaside Village. A church (DU025-016001-) with a plain rectangular plan and a porch/sacristy on the N side. In 1983 Dublin County Council discovered several cross-slabs and other architectural fragments while carrying out conservation works on Kilgobbin church. One of these fragments consisted of a cross-head which was found among a heap of stones inside the church. The fragment of the cross-head is of granite (dims. 0.18m x 0.18m x T 0.09m) and appears to have had a circular panel at the centre and short arms. The central panel is framed by an incised line and raised border. On the other face there is a raised border and one arm of a cross drawn with arcs in relief. Date is uncertain (Ó hÉailidhe 1984, 143). Fragment of a cross-head (stone e) which may have been the finial of the church gable was described by Ó hÉailidhe as follows; 'Fragment of a cross-head found by Mr D. K. C. Pilkington of Glenamuck among a heap of stones inside the church. It is of granite and measures 18cm by 18cm by 9cm thick. The cross appears to have had a circular panel at the centre and short arms. On one face the centre panel is framed by an incised line and raised border. On the other face there is a raised border and one arm of a cross drawn with arcs in relief. The date is uncertain'. The present location of this cross-head is unknown and it is not visible today inside the church ruins. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 8 May 2023

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