by Professor Etienne Rynne

In Athenry’s Market Square is an unusual monument consisting of a steeply stepped pyramidal base on which is set a carved socket-stone with an upright, rectangular sectioned sculpted stone on its top. Known as the Market Cross, this monument does not really present the appearance of being a cross, despite the carving of a crucifixion on one face of the upright stone. It is, in fact, the last remnants of a fine Late Medieval Gothic cross of Tabernacle or Lantern type.

Unique example

Such crosses, dating from the 15^th century perhaps mainly from the second half of that century, are well known in Britain (mainly in England, Cornwall and south Wales) in northern France, in Germany, and elsewhere in Gothic Europe – but for Ireland the Athenry monument is a unique example. Such crosses get their name because instead of a transom as a cross-head they have a rectangular swelling, generally with a pointed roof-like tip, which has an appearance vaguely resembling a lantern or tabernacle. Almost invariably such crosses have a long, tapering generally plain but chamfered shaft set into a sculpted socket which is on top of a large and often quite high stepped pyramidal base. These crosses are not crucifixes through most bear a crucifixion scene carved on the main face of the tabernacle-like part.

Dimensions

The Athenry market cross fits into this general pattern, only the long shaft and roof-like portion now mission. The pyramidal base consists of four steep steps, well-built of large stones (also a low, step-like surround of concrete at ground level). Excluding the concrete surround, the base measures 2.46m by 2.38m at its bottom, and the steps from the bottom upwards measure 48cm,49cm, 44cm, and 52cm in height, giving an overall height of almost 2m (just over 6ft).

Finely carved piece

On the top of the stepped base is set a virtually square stone, 40cm by 41cm and 26m, high, clearly the original socket-stone for the now missing shaft. Its lower 14cm is vertical and plain, while its upper portion is sloping and carved with, among other things, a stag, a winged quadruped, fighting and other dog-like animals, an angel holding a long scroll diagonally across its body, and two opposed jani (mythological quadrupeds with single horns which they could swivel around) with interlocked necks; these latter resemble those on the doorway into Clontuskert Abbey, near Ballinasloe, dated to 1471, which thus helps date the Athenry cross. The upright stone now set into the socket-stone is the tabernacle/lantern-like part of the cross, though now missing its top and bottom. Enough of its remains show that it was a finely-carved piece, with two wide faces (the front and the back) and two narrower ones on the sides.

Recessed faces

All faces are recessed; the recesses surmounted by rocketed and pinnacle arches, two over the front recess and one over each of the others. The front recess contains a carved cruciform scene, with Our Lady and St John standing on either side of the cross. The back recess contains a carving of the Madonna and child, while the two side recesses are flat and plain – such undecorated recessed are quite common on crosses of this type and were almost certainly intended for a painting of a saint or religious scene or symbol; indeed, the whole cross-head and its socket-stone may well have been coloured originally.

Shaft

The proportions of the sculpted heads to the tapering shafts of a sample of such crosses vary greatly, but averages out at about 1:3. As the incomplete head of the Athenry cross is 69cm high and was originally about 10cm more, it can be estimated that the shaft would probably have been something in the region of 2.25m (about 7ft 3.5 in.) high. Judging from the measurements of the base of the cross-head (30cm by 20cm) and those of the top of the socket-stone, the shaft would have been about 25cm by 15cm at its top and 40cm by 41cm at its bottom. With such a shaft, the cross would look something like the accompanying drawing.

Restoration

To restore the Athenry market cross is a definite possibility and would be a relatively easy matter. The result would be a unique, for Ireland, and an outstanding impressive monument. While the overall height would be in the region of 5m (16ft) this would not be excessive for monuments of its type, many of which are considerably higher (as also are many of Ireland’s High Crosses).