Congratulations to Friends of Columbanus Bangor member (and former Director of the Down Museum) Mike King, who has recently published a paper in the Ulster Journal of Archaeology on Downpatrick’s Ancient Town Cross.
Mike led the project to move the high cross, dating to about 900 AD, into a purpose-built new extension at Down County Museum in 2013-15, and to replace it with an authentic replica outside the east end of Down Cathedral. The article covers the geology of the cross, its early history, attempts to preserve it, the design of the cross using compasses, its iconography, and the functions and possible patrons of the cross.
For more details and a link to the paper itself please see our website page below: