Ardboe High Cross

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Ardboe High Cross (Irish: Seanchrois Ard Bó) is one of the finest examples of the Irish High cross in Ulster, and is situated in Ardboe, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is sited on a small hillock close to the western shore of Lough Neagh, was erected in the 9th or 10th century and is all that now remains of a 6th century monastery established by Saint Colman Muchaidhe (Irish: Naomh Colmán), burned in 1166 and not rebuilt.^[1][2] It is the third highest cross in Ireland and the tallest in Northern Ireland.^[3] It is a national monument and is believed to be the first High Cross of Ulster.^[4] Ardboe Cross and abbey (Irish: Seanchrois Ard Bó agus Ministir Naomh Colmán) are State Care Historic Monuments in the townland of Farsnagh and Sessia in the Cookstown District Council area, grid ref: H9660 7562.^[5]

[edit] Features

The cross is made of sandstone, standing about 18ft high (5.5 metres), with a taller more narrow shaft with a small cross head. The cross is weathered and damaged - emigrants in the earlier part of this century often took with them a small chip of stone from the cross - but it remains a superb example of figure carving, incorporating 22 panels of sculpture of biblical events.^[1] The top stone of the cross became dislodged around 1817 and the upper portion, including the arms, fell down in 1846. Colonel Stewart of Killymoon Castle then carried out its re-erection and restoration.^[6] The cross stands on a two-part base, the lower stone of which is rectangular and flat-topped and surmounted by a smaller stone cut in truncated pyramidal form. The base is undecorated except for a simple roll moulding defining the sides. From the base the shaft rises to a band or collar, slightly wider than the sides of the shaft. Above this band the lowest part of the head is treated as a panel above which the open ring, decorated with billets, surrounds the intersection of the arms with the shaft. The cross is finished with a house-shaped cap.^[7] The northern upper portion of the ring is missing.^[6]

The east face of the cross is decorated with Old Testament scenes - Adam and Eve, the Sacrifice of Isaac, Daniel in the Lion’s Den and the Three Hebrews in the Fiery Furnace. Old Testament carvings also feature on the south side - Cain slaying Abel, David (or Samson) and the Lion, David slaying Goliath and Saints Paul and Anthony, fed by the raven. The north side is read from top to bottom and portrays the early life of Christ, concluding in his Baptism at the bottom. The west face depicts the Adoration of the Magi, the Miracle at Cana, the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes and Christ’s entry into Jerusalem.^[3] Carved on the west face of the head of the Cross are scenes from the Passion of Christ, centred on the Crucifixion. While the east face of the head of the Cross has scenes of Christ’s Second Coming and the Last Judgement. This cross would appear to be the only example where the shaft and head belong together originally, thus it has a distinguishing "collar" on the shaft where the two sections of stone are attached.^[1] The northern upper portion of the ring is missing.

What makes the Ardboe cross so unusual is that it is still the original, complete piece of stone erected at the site over 1000 years ago. Similar crosses elsewhere are either incomplete, or else composites of more than one cross pieced together in more recent years.^[8]

In the 18th century, pilgrimages were made to the cross and the devout moved round it on their knees while praying.^[6]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Geography in Action - Photograph of Ardboe High Cross