Rosshill Abbey / Teampull Bhreandáin / Bhreandain

Results: 1 records

BH01: human figure - head

Scene Description: There may have been a second one at another corner of the basin

INFORMATION

FontID: 02725ROS
Museum and Inventory Number: National Museum of Ireland
Church/Chapel: Rosshill Abbey
Church Patron Saints: St. Brendan [aka Brendan of Clonfert, Brandon the Navigator, Brendan the Abbot, Brendan the Anchorite, Brendan the Bold]
Church Location: Clonbur, Cloonbur, Co. Galway, Ireland
Country Name: Republic of Ireland
Location: Galway, Connacht
Directions to Site: Rosshill Abbey [aka Teampull Bhreandain] is located on the S shore of Lough Mask, 1 km NW of Clonbur, itself 5 km from Cong, 18 km from Ballinrobe
Font Location in Church: Excavated from the graveyard ruins
Century and Period: 13th century (early), Romanesque
Cognate Fonts: St Fechin's Church in Fore, Co. Meath
Fragments of a baptismal font were found in the excavation of the Rosshill Abbey graveyard. The font was square and made of limestone with external dimensions of 47 cm in width and 30 cm high. The bottom of the bowl is rough, an indication to the author of the article (Clyne, 1992) that it may be an unmounted font which sat directly on the ground. The rim of the font is broken. The drain hole is in the centre (7 cm wide at top narrowing to 1 cm and then expanding to 6 cm) There is a narrow groove from the drain to each corner and another incised narrow groove around the edge. One of the corners has a crude human head carved in relief on the outer side (6.2 x 4.3 cm) with punched eyes, a broad nose and a slit mouth. The author believes there would have been another at another corner, with the remaining corners (originally against the wall?) would be plain. It has been found similar to an early 13th-century font at St. Fechin's Church, Fore, Co. Meath, though the latter was a three-piece, whereas the former appears to have sat directly on the ground.(Clyne, 1992)

COORDINATES

UTM: 29U 475695 5931661

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone, limestone
Number of Pieces: one
Font Shape: square (unmounted)
Basin Exterior Shape: square
Height of Basin Side: 30 cm
Basin Total Height: 30 cm
Font Height (less Plinth): 30 cm
Trapezoidal Basin: 47 x 47 cm (upper) -- 43.4 x 43.4 (lower)
Notes on Measurements: Clyne (1992)

REFERENCES

Clyne, Miriam, "Excavations at Rosshill Abbey, County Galway", 44, Jounral of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, 1992, pp. 195-208; r["References"]