St Mullin’s is a 7th century foundation. This much-damaged partial high cross stands at the southeast corner of a medieval ruin. It is the only surviving cross of a likely series that were normally present at important ecclesiastical sites in early medieval Ireland. In the Book of Mulling, an 8th-century gospel book held at Trinity College Dublin, a diagram appears to document a stylised plan of the monastery. More recently, academics have challenged this long-standing interpretation, instead preferring a reading of the diagram as being related to Carolingian art and prayer formulas. However, this unproven and very tenuous link overlooks the more obvious similarities to aspects of early medieval Irish monasteries.
The cross itself, likely 9th century in date, is missing most of its shaft and one arm. It depicts Christ on the east-facing head (possibly the original west-face). It is stylistically in the Barrow Valley “school” of crosses, which includes the high crosses of Castledermot, Co. Kildare.
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