Wall monument

The National Monuments Service's description

17th-century wall-memorial plaque (H. 2.25m x Wth 2.41m) of Dame Mary Sentleger (1566-1603) located inside St Patrick’s Cathedral (DU018-020269-).  Dame Mary St Leger nee Southwell was born in 1566 at Wyndham Hall, Norfolk, England, to Francis Southwell and Barbara Spencer nee Flynt..  Memorial described in the Urban Survey of Dublin City (Bradley and King 1988, Vol. 1, 85-6) as; ‘Mary Sentleger. 1603. Helmet-shaped wall memorial plaque of marble and plaster, carrying two shields with coats of arms set in architectural escutcheons with architectural and floral mantling. Incised inscription in Roman lettering :

HEARE LIETH BVRIED Ye BODIE OF DAME MARY SENTLEGER LATE WIFE TO Sr ANTHONY SENTLEGER KNYGHT Mr OF Ye ROLLS AND OF HIS' MAties PRIVIE COVNSELL OF ESTATE IN THE REALME OF IRELAND DAVGHTER' TO FRANCIS SOUTHWELL OF WYNDHAM HALL IN NORFOLKE ESQVIRE' , FIRST MARRIED THOs: SIDNEY OF WYKEN IN Ye SAID COVNTIE ESQVIRE, BY WHOM SHEE HAD ISSVE 3 DAVGHTERS ELEANOR WHO DIED YONGE' ANNE wch DIED 3d OF OCTOBER 1602 AND IS HEARE LIKEWISE BVRIED' AND THOMAZIN MARIED TO sr Wm GODOLPHIN KNYGHT AFTER' Ye SAID DAME MARY WAS MARIED TO NICHOLAS GORGE OF' LONDON ESQVIRE BY WHOM SHEE HAD NOE ISSVE' AND TO HER THIRD HVSABAND SHEE MARIED Sr CONYERS CLYFFORD OF' BOBBINGE-COVRTE IN KENT KNYGHT GOVERNOR OF CONNAGH & OF Ye PRIVIE' COVNSELL OF ESTATE IN THIS REALME, BY WHOM SHEE HAD ISSVE TWO SONNES & A DAVGHTER HENRY AND COYNIERS NOW LIVINGE, FRANCIS Ye DAVGHTER' DIED YONGE, LASTLY SHEE MARIED Ye SAID Sr ANTH. SENTLEGER BY WHOM SHEE' HAD ISSVE ANTHONY AND FRANCIS A DAVGHTER WHO DIED FOWER DAYES' AFTER HER BYRTH AND OF WHOM Ye SAID DAME MARY DIED IN CHILDBED Ye' 19 DAY OF DECEMBER 1603 BEING 37 YEARES OF AGE WHOSE SOVLE (NOE DOVBT)' RESTETH IN ALL JOYFVLL BLESSEDNES IN Ye HEAVENS HER SAVIORE IESV' CHRISTE WHOSE TRVE AND FAITHFVLL SERVANT SHEE LIVED AND DYED’ (Bernard 1906,  536).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

References

Bernard, J. 1906 St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead in Ireland, Vol. VI, 1904-06, 520-49.

Bradley, J. & King, H. (1988) Urban Archaeological Survey, Dublin, Volume 4. A report commissioned by the Office of Public works (Unpublished).