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Stone head in Glebe (pubblebrien By., Clarina Ed)

Stone head

What is recorded here

Stone head in Glebe (pubblebrien By., Clarina Ed) is a medieval sandstone head with oval-shaped eyes, grooved cheeks and an open mouth whose broken nose and small ears make it look grotesque. It sits on the west wall of a post-1700 C of I church in County Limerick, probably carried from the adjoining medieval church ruins to the north. Rain and time have flaked its surface, especially around the mouth and sides, leaving the face exposed like a warning forgotten by the building that swallowed it.
Medieval sandstone head incorporated into external face of W wall of post-1700 C of I church close to NW angle. Head was probably taken from adjoining medieval church ruins (LI012-015001-) to N and incorporated into the W gable of the C of I church in the post-medieval period. Carved sandstone head with oval-shaped eyes, grooved cheeks and open mouth with broken nose and small ears. The grooving of the cheeks along with the open mouth gives the face a grotesque appearance. The surface of the head displays a lot of weathering with flaking visible around the mouth and along the sides of the head. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 30 October 2018
Probably dates to the medieval period, with the stone head likely repurposed from earlier church ruins. Its specific meaning or use is unclear, though it may have had symbolic or decorative significance in its original context.

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What survives
Recorded monument

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