Johnstown nr. Boyne Bridge No. 2

Image copyright © Jim Dempsey, 2023

PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

Results: 2 records

design element - motifs - roll moulding

Scene Description: girdling the centre of the shaft

Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Roe, 1968

Image Source: Roe (1968: pl. XLV)

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

view of font

Scene Description: Source caption: "In the grounds of the church is an octagonal font, pictured above [...], that was taken from the the old manor chapel of Follistown in 1852. It has chamfered under panels, and stands on an octagonal shaft that features roll moulding around the middle."

Copyright Statement: Image copyright © Jim Dempsey, 2023

Image Source: digital photograph in Megalithic Ireland [http://www.megalithicireland.com/Johnstown Fonts, Meath.html] [accessed 18 March 2023]

Copyright Instructions: PERMISSION NOT AVAILABLE -- IMAGE NOT FOR PUBLIC USE

INFORMATION

FontID: 09235JOH
Church/Chapel: Roman Catholic Church at Johnstown [originally from the old manor chapel of the De Foleville family in Follistown]
Country Name: Republic of Ireland
Location: Meath / An Mhí, Leinster
Directions to Site: Follow Dublin to Navan road up to Boyne Bridge; here turn right to Johnstown (Navan is about 32 km of Dublin on the N3 road to Kells)
Font Location in Church: Reported ca. 1968 to be In the RC church at Johnstown, stored in a small room beneath the bell-tower, since 1852
Century and Period: 12th - 16th century, Medieval
Cognate Fonts: [cf. Roe's remarks in "FontNotes" below about similar base shafts in the area]
Described in Cogan (1992 c1862, vol. II: 238): a baptismal font originally from the old manor chapel of the De Foleville family of Follistown that was moved to the Roman Catholic church at Johnstown in 1852. Described and illustrated in Roe (1968: 119-121 and pl. XLV) as "a well-cut octagonal vessel with chamfered under panels [...] supported on a rather poorly executed octagonal shaft, bound about the middle by a roll moulding, in much the same style as the shaft at Killeen [...] and corresponding to that described by Dr. Moore as having been at the Black Church [aka & indexed as "Blackchurch"], Meadestown". Roe (ibid.) expresses her doubts as to whether this shaft is the original one for this font, and gives the location of the font [ca. 1968] as "stored in a small room beneath the bell-tower of the church". Roe (ibid.) also remarks that although no drain is now discernible, it may be hidden by the thick paint that covers the basin. Noted and illustrated in Megalithic Ireland [http://www.megalithicireland.com/Johnstown Fonts, Meath.html] [accessed 18 March 2023]: "In the grounds of the church is an octagonal font [...] that was taken from the the old manor chapel of Follistown in 1852. It has chamfered under panels, and stands on an octagonal shaft that features roll moulding around the middle. " [cf. Index entry for Johnstown No. 1 for an "Apostles font" -originally from Kilcarne- in this church]

MEDIUM AND MEASUREMENTS

Material: stone
Number of Pieces: two
Font Shape: octagonal (mounted)
Basin Interior Shape: round
Basin Exterior Shape: octagonal
Drainage Notes: [cf. FonNotes re: thick coat of paint]
Rim Thickness: 9 cm*
Diameter (inside rim): 51 cm*
Basin Depth: 12.7 cm*
Height of Basin Side: 25.5 cm*
Height of Base: 37.5 cm*
Basin Upper Panel Dimensions: 25.5 (high) x 27.4 cm* (wide)
Basin Lower Panel Dimensions: underbowl: 27.4 (high) x 24.2 tapering to 19.1 cm* (wide)
Notes on Measurements: * Roe (1968: 121) -- Roe adds measurements for the roll moulding (5 cm), the upper ppanels of the shaft (15.2 cm heigh x 16.5 cm wide) and the lower panels (17.2 cm heigh x 14 cm wide)

REFERENCES

Cogan, Anthony, The Diocese of Meath: Ancient and Modern, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 1992 (c1862)
Roe, Helen M., Medieval Fonts of Meath, Longford, Ireland: Meath Archaeological and Historical Society, 1968