Cross — High cross in Templehouse Demesne

Lying on the ground on the line of the missing W wall of Templehouse hall-house (SL033-026001-) is a stone cross-base. This is a limestone block (H 0.4m; at base 0.7m x 0.55m) tapering gently to a rectangular top (0.6m x 0.45m). In the centre of the upper surface is a rectangular mortise-hole (0.3m x 0.22m; D 0.2m) which is surrounded by a plain rectangular rim (H 0.05m; Wth 0.08m), rounded in section. There appears to be no decoration on the stone though it is encrusted by lichen and moss. The form of the stone is characteristic of an early medieval high cross (Edwards 1990, 164-70). It has been suggested (Lynn 1985-6, 108) that the cross might be associated with a possible Knights Templar foundation at Templehouse of which there are no other obvious extant remains (see SL033-026007-). O'Rorke (1878, 320) noted a tradition where 'the country people' of the district called this stone a 'Holy Water Stone'. This stone is included by Harbison (1992b, vol. 1, 393) in a list of bases without crosses which are possibly 'earlier than 1200'. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008