Waterstown High Cross, Carlow

 Waterstown High Cross

There's a wonderfully quiet and secluded Hillock at Waterstown in Carlow which is a delight to visit. Although actually right beside a small road if feels like taking a step back in time.

 

It's hard to explain but I found it very atmospheric, almost ephemeral as if it would soon vanish in the occasional mists.

On this innocuous hilly mound are to be found two beautiful Crosses. 

One an imperforate/solid wheeled High Cross and the other a later medieval Cross with damaged arms and a crucifixion scene carved on Limestone in mid relief.

The entrance to the Crosses is marked by two small granite posts in a roadside hedge. 

I always seem to find particular enjoyment in visiting a site where there is no carpark, Visitor Centre or signage. Places like this exude a unique charm and aura of their own.

They are often quite peaceful and tranquil while appearing like the title of a Tom Hardy book "far from the madding crowd". 

It seems they provide moments of sanctuary or respite however fleeting from modernity and the hustle and bustle of every day modern life.

There are other antiquities located both here and nearby which I didn't realise at the time of my visit.

 They include Saint Patrick's Well across a field, an Ogham Stone a few fields away (is a field even a recognised unit of measure) a holed stone on the hillock itself somewhere which I never saw (and which Irish Stones describes as a broken cut marked Bullaun Stone) and the base of a Cross literally 100 meters away on the roadside junction which is used as a Shrine and which I also completely missed.

The roadside Cross base is most likely the original base of the Cross on the hillock at Waterstown itself.

Interestingly enough OSI 1800's historic mapping shows the nearby junction where the Cross Base is used as a Shrine as Cloghaphuill which can be interpreted as "the holed stone".

 It also shows a Church and Graveyard now disappeared which were once located here by the Hillock.

This somewhat esoteric and remote site  was apparently at some stage in the not too distant past a reasonably well frequented ecclesiastical settlement of local importance.

It was somewhat overcast with unusual lighting conditions under the thickets of wild brambles, nettles and shrubbery. 

My efforts at photography reflect my less than perfect skills rather than expressing the beauty of the location itself as I had intended.

Do take the time to visit Waterstown if you happen to ever be in the area and keep the wheels turning.

Coordinates here :

52°53'18.8"N 6°40'47.1"W

52.888545 - 6.679760

Library Ireland/S. Lewis/Topographical Dictionary Of Irl/Rathvilly

And just a short mention to say that if you throw a stone hard enough from here either North or North-West it will land in Wicklow. You are right on the Wicklow/Carlow border at Waterstown.

Below are just a few streestscape photographs from nearby Rathvilly.

 

 

Knocktopher, Kilkenny

Knocktopher 

Knocktopher, in Irish Cnoc an Tóchair, meaning the Hill of the Causeway, is a small village in County Kilkenny.

I didn't mean to end up travelling through the village but I'm glad I did. There's quite a few things to see in the village and nearby too.

The first thing of note nearby is the Ballyboodan (Kilcurl) Ogham Stone. 

Ogham stones come in all shapes and sizes although this one is unusual for its large size and almost geometrically precise rectangular shape.

The Ogham alphabet is a 20 letter old Irish alphabet consisting of groups of linear slash marks also known as the Tree alphabet.

It is believed to have originated c. 350 or thereabouts. It is about 2 Kilometres southwest of Knocktopher and well worth taking a detour to see.

In the village itself Knocktopher Abbey is not in actual fact an Abbey but a mid 1800's house built alongside part of an existing Castle and converted to Lodges. Accommodation can be rented here. I had at first glance mistaken it for an actual Abbey.

I hadn't intended to visit Knocktopher but I passed through as I was heading for nearby Aghaviller ruins and the Round Tower pictured below. It is located roughly 6 Kms away from Knocktopher. 

A Mass Rock which is a relic from the days of the Penal Laws in Ireland is to be found located mounted on a plinth in at the grounds of the Roman Catholic/Carmelite Friary in the village. 

The Penal Laws were punitive measuress designed to restrict open worship of the Catholic faith and facilitate conversions. I believe the Carmelites had to leave the area c. 2017 due to diminishing numbers in the Order.

There is an interesting looking 1800's Board of First Fruit Church in the village as well but the gates were locked when I visited.

The beautiful west Tower of a 12th century Church is also located in the village. The main Church structure appears to have been demolished in the 1800's according to an on site information board and the Tower is all that remains of the early Church.

There is a delightful Romanesque style doorway into the Tower. Inside is an effigy slab of a male and female figure believed to date to the 15th century.

Dotted about the graveyard are several Armorial plaques and lots of points of interest. I was pleasantly surprised by all the things to see here.

Also in the Tower but locked safely behind gates are several fragmentary remains, a Cross, a possible  Wayside Cross or Cross slab/Grave marker and some carved figures, all quite interesting.

All in all I was delighted to have accidentally stumbled into Knocktopher. It is a little hidden Gem in Kilkenny.

There's lots to see here and a wander around the Graveyard is to be recommended. Earlier fragmentary remains from the Church are dotted here and there and all is contained in a small compact and easily accessible area.

I hope you enjoy your visit as much as I did if you take the time to journey to Knocktopher in County Kilkenny.

A brief History of the Marble City and Kilkenny Cats.

Keep the wheels turning....

The Schools Collection, Knocktopher - dúchas.ie

Gortnaglogh Standing Stone, Laois

Just a quick post here today to post a few photographs of Gortnaglogh Standing Stone in Laois.

It's believed this stone was also known as the Mass Stone.

It's further presumed that Mass was held here during the times of the repressive Penal Laws when open Catholic worship was banned and priests were often hunted down and murdered for ministering to their flocks.

The photographs were taken on a misty rainy day and it was hard to get a decent shot.

Standing Stones in Laois

Keep the wheels turning.........