The Corpus of
ROMANESQUE SCULPTURE
in Britain & Ireland
The Corpus of
ROMANESQUE SCULPTURE
in Britain & Ireland
A tall, well constructed round tower, built principally from local limestone but with some sandstone detailing around the doorway.
The monastery is said to be a Patrician foundation. Some restoration work was carried out on the tower in 1841 by a local landowner. Part of the cap of the tower was replaced by the Board of Works in 1871 when the monuments at the site came under their care.
Round headed doorway 3.4m above present ground level. The arch is cut from three stones. On the external face is a plain roll moulding running continuously along the arris of the jambs and arch. Toward the top of the left jamb is a projecting disembodied head, much weathered but with high cheek bones, a down-turned mouth, and small projecting ears. On the right side in the same position is a larger head, with a forked beard and coif (reminiscent of Inishfallen capital). At the apex of the arch, carved over two stones, is a crucifixion. Christ is depicted with his arms stretched out straight, his right arm only blocked out and apparently never finished, and his legs twisted sharply round to his left and bent up together one behind the other. The head is extremely worn, but seems to be looking downwards.
| d. at base | 1.58m |
| d. at springing of arch | 1.06m |
| w. at base | 0.67m |
| w. at springing of arch | 0.61m |
44th Report of the Commissioners of Public Works
Barrow, L., The Round Towers of Ireland (Dublin, 1979) 162-66
Champneys, A., The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Ireland (Dulin, 1911) 48, 59, 236
Petrie, G., The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Ireland (Dublin, 1845) 404-5
Wilde, W., Boyne and Blackwater (Dublin, 1849) 136-8
Comments/Opinions
Whilst the crucifixion plaque is open to some chronological doubt, the heads flanking either side of the tower are very Romanesque in character, although their location is almost without parallel (see however the round tower at Kells, Co. Meath which has what may be a very worn head in similar position).