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Mayo - 6
Lankhill

Site/Artefact Lankhill Type Archaeological Complex Site Number SMR Mayo 98 003 National Grid Reference 100950 East 279170 North Map ( 1:50000) Ordnance Survey Ireland, Discovery Series, 38 List of Sites and Artefacts Click Here Interactive Map Click Here

Detail from Lankhill Pillar (Photo: Christiaan Corlett)

Description
Lankhill, an early Christian church site on the pilgrim route Tóchar Phádraig, which extends from Ballintubber to Croagh Patrick, had possibly a timber oratory which has long disappeared. The foundations of a later small stone building, possibly the church, are extant (Corlett, 2000). The field in which the church is located is known as Gort na Mannach, the field of the monks. But perhaps the name belies the ancient memory of place. The monks who settled here would have perhaps readapted the landscape to suit their needs.

The new settlers at Lankhill are thought to have taken a kerbstone from a megalithic tomb and erected it within the sacred enclosure. They then attempted to carve a cross on it thus redeploying the stone as a Christian boundary marker (Bitel, 1990). The significance of this would have been clear, to transform existing symbols of the sacred into Christian motifs. But perhaps this stone was already marking the ancient pilgrim route to Croagh Patrick in the Bronze Age? (Corlett, 1996)

Excavation Details
Not Available

Access/Ownership
Private ownership

References

• Bitel, L.M. 1990, Isle of the Saints: Monastic Settlement and Christian Community in Early Ireland, London, Pp.51-3
• Corlett, C. 2001 Antiquities of West Mayo, Wordwell, Wicklow, Pp. 132-3
• Corlett, C. 1996, Prehistoric Pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick, Cathair na Mart, No.16, Westport, Pp. 58-60 

Check out the following sections of the website for related information:

• Tóchar Phádraig
• Knappaghmanagh
• Signum Crucis - the Sign of the Cross
• Norwegian Stone Crosses
• Trollsteinen

Mayo Sites and Artefacts

1. Mayo Abbey 2. Balla 3. Ballintubber Abbey 4. Tóchar Phadraig 5. Aghagower 6. Lankhill 7. Boheh 8. Croagh Patrick Summit 9. Carrownalurgan 10. Ardoley 11. Kiladangan 12. Glaspatrick 13. Shrawee 14. Clare Island - Strake 15. Clare Island - Lecarrow 16. Caher Island 17. Durless

18. Carrowmore 19. Knappaghmanagh 20. Cushalogurt 21. Carrowkeel Ecclesiastical Remains 22. Thornhill 23. Carrowkeel Murrisk 24. Carrowkeel Cahernaran 25. Carrowmacloughlin Cairn-1 26. Carrowmacloughlin Cairn-2 27. Carrowmacloughlin Cairn-3 28. Carrowmacloughlin/ Glencally/ Teevenacroaghy 29. Carrowmacloughlin Sweathouses 30. Glaspatrick Holy Well

31. Glaspatrick Rath-1 32. Glaspatrick Early Ecclesiastical Remains 33. Glaspatrick Ringfort 34. Glaspatrick Rath-2 35. Glaspatrick Ecclesiatical Remains 36. Glaspatrick Altar 38. Glaspatrick Graveyard 39. Murrisk Demesne Standing Stone-1 40. Murrisk Demesne Standing Stone-2 41. Murrisk Demesne Standing Stone-3 42. Teevenacroaghy

Mayo - Vestvågøy - Mid-Argyll

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