Font in Maddockstown

Associated with the medieval church of Maddockstown (KK020-045001-) and located within its graveyard (KK020-045002-), adjacent to the entrance. The font was first recorded by Robertson (1894, 192), at which time it was described as being, ‘long ago broken into two pretty equal parts’. The graveyard was tidied c. 1950 and the font was rediscovered consisting of, ‘the entire bowl, though broken in many pieces, but only half of the base and none of the supporting pillars’ (Anon. 1960, 51). The Kilkenny Archaeological Society commissioned its restoration by Tom MacDonald, a monumental sculptor who reconstructed the central pedestal, supporting pillars and half of the base (Pike 1989, 577; O’Kelly 1969, 65). The font is square (ext. dims. 0.71m x 0.71m; H 0.35m) in plan with a circular basin (diam. 0.45m) and centrally placed drain-hole. All four sides are decorated with Gothic flutes and the top of two of the angles have carved heads in relief. The corners of the upper surface of the font are decorated with incised intertwined vine leaves. The surviving portion of the base (originally square in plan 0.65m x 0.65m) is decorated with four raised concentric circular mouldings. The whole now rests on a concrete plinth. This has been identified by Pike (1989, 573-82, 597-8) as an Ossory-type font and possibly dates to the late 13th century. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 9 December 2020