Cross in Rathmore West

Small granite cross located S of church (KD020-009005-) close to SW angle, standing upright in graveyard (KD020-009006-). A crude, earthfast, granite cross with vestigial arms (H 0.76m; Wth 0.36m; T 0.25m) may be of early date(Bradley et al. 1986 vol. 4, 432; McCabe 2008, 159). Archaeological Monitoring undertaken in 2008 under licence no. 08E0681 associated with the removal of dumped spoil material along the southern and eastern external walls of the church (KD020-009004-), the existence of a previously unrecorded Cross Base (KD020-009014-) was attention by Mr. Warren Ogden. It was speculated that the Cross Base (KD020-009014-) might be associated with a Cross (KD020-009007-) located on the southern side of the church and on the southern edge of the dumped material mentioned above (Byrne 2014, 2). According to Byrne (2014, 7-15) 'the cross, which was the subject of the excavation, is located in the southern side of the church and located immediately south/adjacent the gravel footpath created during the 2008 works. Prior to the commencement of investigations the cross was not upright but lay partially collapsed to the south. The area to the immediate north comprises a higher area of ground, formed by previous dumping of material, much of which was removed in 2008. The investigations indicated that the cross has a total length of 1.64m. The shaft of the cross tapers to a blunt point from the arms to the base and to a blunt top, with a slight indentation, from the arms to the top. The widest element of the cross including the arms is 0.35m. The profile of the shaft indicated that the corner edges were both rounded and sharp. Following completion of the investigation, the cross was initially re-erected, with sods placed around the shaft for compaction. Inclement weather did not allow for full reinstatement of the cross but it was agreed that the trench would be fully backfilled when weather conditions would allow. However, due to a range of circumstances, the trench was not fully backfilled and the cross fell back into a sloping position. the cross was re-erected, with the arms aligned N-S, and the trench backfilled in April 2014. This entailed the placing of sods from the spoil heap generated by the excavations around the shaft together with large stones and the trench filled with the spoil. The surface of the trench was also covered in sods. Some loose soil from the spoil heap lies on the ground surface to the immediate east of the cross and this will be seeded with grass. It is intended that a layer of gravel, similar to that The profile of the Cross Base indicated that the southern edge is almost vertical, unlike that of the Cross. Furthermore, the E-W thickness of the Cross is greater than that of the mortise-hole. Both of these findings indicate that the Cross and Cross Base (KD020-009014-) are unrelated'. Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy Updated by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 12 March 2015