Graveslab

The National Monuments Service's description

On top of a steep slope on the S-SE side of a small valley, surrounded by tillage and grassland. Associated with a medieval church (KK012-059001-) and graveyard (KK012-059002-). According to Healy (1874-9, 44-5), in May 1873, 'we discovered a coffin-shaped cross-slab, 3 feet 6 inches long, by 1 foot 3 inches wide at top, and 5 inches wide at bottom. A chamfer run around the edge'. He gives the inscription as, '[...] es la[...] Fis honter. .. Git ici Dieu de su almer eit merci'. Carrigan (1905, vol. 2, 372) further describes it as having, 'a raised floriated cross down the centre', with an, 'incised Norman-French inscription in Lombardic lettering on the sides: "ALIS; LAFILEAV FIS; HONIRE GIT ICI DE KI ALME FEVE EIT MERCI." i.e. Alis (Alexander?) Lafileau Fitz Honier lies here, on whose soul may God have mery. The FEVE in the second lin, the writer takes to be a sculptor's error for DIEU'. The graveslab, which formerly rested against the wall in the SW corner of the graveyard, could not be located in 1987 (OPW Correspondance 1942; ASI report, 3 November 1987).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 14 June 2019