Loughnavalley / Lochán an Bhealaigh / Loughnavally

Image copyright © Joan Pike, 1989

Permission received (letter of 9/2/2004)

Results: 1 records

view of basin

Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Joan Pike, 1989

Image Source: Pike (1989: 52)

Copyright Instructions: Permission received (letter of 9/2/2004)

INFORMATION

FontID: 00913LOU
Church/Chapel: Parish Church (R.C.)
Church Location: Togherstown, Loughanavally, Co. Westmeath, Ireland
Country Name: Republic of Ireland
Location: Westmeath / Iarmhí, Leinster
Directions to Site: Loughnavally / Loughnavalley is 8-10 miles south-west of Mullingar on the R390 to Ballymore and Athlone
Font Location in Church: Outside, in the porch
Date: 1571
Century and Period: 16th century,
Credit and Acknowledgements: We are grateful to Dr. Rachel Moss, and to Trinity College, Dublin, for the copy of Ms. Pike's work, and to Ms. Joan Pike for her kind permission to reproduce her original drawings].
Described in Roe (1968: [81]) as "an octagonal font of wuite uncommon form. It is unornamented except for the date 1571 carved in rather abgular numerals in relief on one of the upper panels", that are "considerably wider than their height while the lower panels are extraordinarily deep and so chamfered that they taper almost to a point". She notes that the bottom of the underbowl is broken and wonders "how such a strangely shaped object would have balanced or been mounted." Roe (ibid.) notes that local sources have it as originally "from the pre-Reformation church at Churchtown" of which nothing else remains. Described and illustrated in Pike (1989: 52) who identifies the stone as limestone.

COORDINATES

UTM: 29U 597770 5927347

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone, limestone
Number of Pieces: one
Font Shape: octagonal
Basin Interior Shape: round
Basin Exterior Shape: octagonal
Rim Thickness: 7 cm (Roe)
Diameter (inside rim): 51 cm (Roe)
Basin Depth: 17.7 cm Roe)
Height of Basin Side: 19 cm (Roe)
Basin Upper Panel Dimensions: 19 x 28 cm (Roe)
Basin Lower Panel Dimensions: 36.3 x 26.6 tapering to 7.6 cm (Roe)
Trapezoidal Basin: 65 cm (width)(calculated)
Notes on Measurements: Roe (1968: [80]); Pike (1989: 52) gives similar measurements [height of bowl: 9.5 in.; width of bowl: 26 in. across]

INSCRIPTION

Inscription Language: numbers
Inscription Location: Incised on one of the panels, carved in rather angular numerals, but barely visible.
Inscription Text: "1571"
Inscription Source: Roe (1968: [81]

REFERENCES

Pike, Joan H.K., "Medieval Fonts of Ireland", [Supplied courtesy of The Dept. of the History of Art, Trinity College, Dublin], [Ireland]: [Privately printed], 1989
Roe, Helen M., Medieval Fonts of Meath, Longford, Ireland: Meath Archaeological and Historical Society, 1968
White, Newport Benjamin, Extents of Irish Monastic Possessions, 1540-1541, from Manuscripts in the Public Record Office, London, Dublin: Stationary Office, 1943