Carrick-on-Bannow

Bannow Romanesque Font

This superb example of late 12th century Romanesque sculpture was moved to here from the medieval church at Bannow in County Wexford. Bannow Bay was the landing point of the Anglo-Normans in 1169. The whitewashed font stands 860mm high was probably carved from three pieces of dundry stone. All four sides of the top are beautifully decorated. The east and west sides bear the same design with a decorative band framing the outside. The front of the font, pictured below, bears an elaborate fleur-de-lis surrounded with the same decorative band. The font was moved to here for preservation in the 19th century. There is another 12th/13th century romanesque font, bearing similar motifs, at Fethard-on-Sea, County Wexford.

Because it was soft and therefore easy to carve dundry stone was very popular with norman stone masons. It was quarried near Bristol in England and shipped to Ireland, it was used on many churches throughout the country. The 13th century chorister hall under Waterford medieval museum, and the curved facade of the museum itself, were built with dundry stone. Another romanesque font carved from dundry stone, can be found in the museum at Johnstown gardens