Cross (Remains of) — Foyran

Rising from the top of the S roadside boundary wall and hedge are the poorly preserved remains of a ringed cross with incised naïve crucified Christ on N face of cross. Impossible to examine S side of cross-head as it is now partly covered in vegetation. Drawn by Du Noyer in the 19th century (George Victor Du Noyer, “Cross on roadside. Townland of Foyran near the old church of St Eidan. May 1864,” Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, accessed January 22, 2020, http://rsai.locloudhosting.net/items/show/23439.). Described in 1928 as 'The head of a cross 2ft. 2in. (0.65m) in breadth, with a solid ring about 1ft. 4in. (0.4m) in diameter. A rude crucifixion is incised on the front. The stone is built into the west fence of the road opposite Foyran Church (WM001-042----)' (Crawford 1928, 57, no. 3). Visited and described in 1980 as 'the fragament of a limestone cross with a solid ring-head. The cross fragment is now lying on the NE side of the roadway a short distance NE of the position marked on the 1910 edition of the OS 6-inch map. Only the head of the cross remains and even that is damaged, one of the arms is completely broken off and another is damaged. Only a small part of the shaft remains but this shows that it expanded towards the base. The surviving edges of the ring of the arms are bevelled. One face of the cross is decorated with an incised 6 petal marigold design set in the centre of the ring. The other face has a crude carving of a figure of Christ crucified incised on it. The figure is only carved in outlined with grooves. The mouth, nose and eyes are crudely represented, while the head leans to one side. The hands of the figure are also roughly shown, the bottom of the trunk and legs are missing. There is what appears to be a double inverted V at the top of the face of the cross above the head of the figure ' (SMR file). This site was visited in 1997 when it was recorded that there is 'no visible trace of the cross despite much searching in the hedgerows by the road' (SMR file). Second wayside cross (WM001-040----) which is similar in shape and size located 220m to NW. Church and graveyard (WM001-042----/042001-) located 85m to NE, holy well (WM001-043----) located c.290m to E. (Fredengren et al. 2010, 114, Pl. 31a and b) Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 18 December 2012