Donaghpatrick / Domhnach Phádraig

INFORMATION

Font ID: 09223DON
Object Type: Baptismal Font1
Date Visited: 2025-07-12
Font Century and Period/Style: 13th - 14th century (?), Medieval
Church / Chapel Name: Parish Church of St. Patrick (C. of I.)
Font Location in Church: In the graveyard, outside the modern church
Church Patron Saint(s): St. Patrick [aka Pádraig, Padrig, Patricius]
Church Notes: present church built on the site of an earlier (mediaval) church in 1896
Church Address: Donaghpatrick, nr Navan, County Meath, Ireland
Site Location: Meath / An Mhí, Leinster, Republic of Ireland, Europe
Directions to Site: Located off the R147, N of the N3, overlooking the River Blackwater, about halfway (4 km) between Navan and Kells
Ecclesiastic Region: Diocese of Meath
Additional Comments: disused font
Font Notes:
Described in Roe (1968: 113-114): medieval baptismal font, "a massive, well-made and well-proportioned octagonal vessel with chamfered underpanels. It is supported on an octagonal shaft, resting on a square base with chamfered angles. It is supported on an octagonal shaft resting on a square base with chamfered angles". Roe (ibid.) describes the inner well as round, with a flat-bottom and a centre drain hole, but points out the odd addition of a second drain that has been drilled slanted from the bottom angle of the well out through one of the underpanels, and speculates on the reason for this second drainage. Damage is reported at the upper rim "by the forcible removal of an original cover", unfortunately a far too common damage in old baptismal fonts.

COORDINATES

UTM: 29U 648592 5950642

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone
Number of Pieces: three
Font Shape: octagonal, mounted
Basin Interior Shape: round
Basin Exterior Shape: octagonal
Drainage System: centre hole in basin + added side drain hole
Drainage Notes: [cf. Font notes for details]
Rim Thickness: 5 cm (beveled to 4 cm)* / 7-10 cm**
Diameter (inside rim): 49 cm* / **
Diameter (includes rim): 65-71 cm**
Basin Depth: 23 cm* / 27-28 cm**
Height of Basin Side: 25.5 cm* / 24-25 cm**
Basin Total Height: 49 cm**
Height of Base: [unable to measure the lower base owing to growth of sod]* / 53 cm**
Height of Central Column: 47 cm
Basin Upper Panel Dimensions: 25.5 cm high x 28.5 cm wide
Basin Lower Panel Dimensions: 28 cm high x 28 cm wide, tapering to 21 cm wide
Font Height (less Plinth): 102 cm**
Notes on Measurements: * Roe (1968: 113-114) [NB: Roe gives the width of the lower base as 66 cm; the width of the panels of the shaft as 21 cm] / ** BSI on-site

LID INFORMATION

Notes: [cf. Font notes regarding the removed cover]

REFERENCES

  • Roe, Helen M., Medieval Fonts of Meath, Longford, Ireland: Meath Archaeological and Historical Society, 1968, p. 113-114