Durrow Church and High Cross

Durrow church, in the centre of Durrow graveyard, dates to the late medieval period. The church is built on an earlier monastery founded here by St. Columcille in 566. The church was described in 1682-5 by Bishop Dopping as being a ‘parochial church belonging to the Monastery of Durrow. Church and chancel ill repaired. Pulpit but no font. Possessed no bells, a clay floor and shingled roof.’

The Book of Durrow, now at Trinity College Dublin, was partially written here in 650. A late medieval grave slab, dated to 1665, was originally inside the church but is now located in the north wall of the graveyard. Other slabs originally outside are now within the restored church. On the west external wall the remains of carved head, pear shaped with bulging eyes and pursed lips can be seen.

Durrow High Cross is now mounted within the church. Excavations showed burials of seventeen individuals occurred to the north, south and east of the cross base. No burial was earlier than the 18^th century and no burial was found directly under the high cross. The elaborately carved sandstone High Cross is 3.16m tall and 1.39m wide.

On the east face of the shaft plinth is possibly two centaurs, or a human figure flanked by an animal; it is unclear due to weathering. The upper centre panel on the east side has a figure of Christ and the Apostles Peter and Paul. The Sacrifice of Isaac, shown in profile on the left, has Abraham with his sword over his right shoulder. To the right is Isaac, his son, on bended knee. An angel is above Isaac. The head of the High Cross in the centre is The Last Judgement. Christ in the centre with cross-staff in his left hand and a sceptre with foliate decoration in his right hand. The lamb is in a circle above his head. The south arm of the High Cross is David playing the lyre. The north arm depicts David Slaying the lion. The lion has its jaw pulled asunder by David who rests his left knee on the animal. Other depictions show two winged animals, Eve giving Adam the apple, circles of pellet decorations, David as King, a snake with its tail coiling around three human heads, the arrest of Christ, and on the west face, the crucifixion of Christ.

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This national monument is protected in accordance with the National Monuments Acts 1930 to 2014