274 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



is cut beside the cross stem. All attempts to make out anything about 

 this Dertrend have failed. 



At Movilla there are twelve tapered slabs of Anglo-Norman cha- 

 racter. Four of these of different types have been engraved. Pig. 3 

 represents the most numerous class, *. e. a tapered slab, with bevilled 

 edges, bearing a sunken circular panel, in which is sculptured in relief 

 a floriated cross, of a more or less elaborate character. The stem of the 

 cross is formed by two lines, which usually terminate in steps^ or, as 

 it is called, a Calvary, at the narrow end of the slab. 



All these monuments have generally suffered very much from the 

 effects of weather, and the ornamental details of some have almost 

 disappeared. 



Fig. 1 in the accompanying plates is a very curious little slab, and 

 measures only two feet eight inches in length ; it is the only slab of 

 this type at Movilla, but there is a magnificent slab measuring nearly 

 six feet long, and bearing a cross head of this pattern, at Kilclief 

 churchyard, close to the fine old castle of Kilclief on the seacoast of 

 Lecale, near the entrance of Strangford Lough. This slab has a cable 

 moulding carried all round the edge. A straight sword is sculptured 

 on the right of the cross-stem, and on the other side is something re- 

 sembling a staff, with a flag flying from it, and surmounted by a small 

 cross. Another slab at Kilclief has the cable moulding, with the 

 usual cross, and a sword only. The cross head is like fig. 3, but plainer. 

 There are three other very characteristic cross slabs at Kilclief church- 

 yard, as well as one built into the wall of a room of the castle. 



Fig. 2. — This slab is unlike anything I have seen, and is of very 

 curious design. The " shears" sculptured beside the cross mark the 

 slab as the monument of a woman. 



Fig. 4 is a very large and handsome slab. The whole of the orna- 

 ment is in relief ; the cross has eight points, and the stem is 

 ornamented with foliage. This slab also bears the feminine symbol. 



Newtownards. — In the wall of the old parish church in this town, 

 a cross slab has been built. It has probably been brought here from 

 Movilla, about half a mile distant. 



At Iihubane, parish of Inishargy, near Kircubben, in the Ards, a 

 slab was found bearing a plain incised cross, and the name 



in Irish characters. This stone is now in the possession of the Rev. 

 James O'Laverty, M.R.I. A., P.P. of Holywood, County Down. This 

 slab and the " Dertrend" one described above, are the only ones bear- 

 ing Irish inscriptions known to exist in the County of Down. 



At Grey Abbey (founded in 1193 by John de Courcy), there are 

 several fragments of Anglo-Norman cross slabs. There is also a very 

 large and well preserved slab, seven feet long, with an ornamental 

 moulding carried all round the edge, and bearing a floriated cross, with 

 eight points. This slab was brought here from the site of Black 



