Tomb - chest tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

At St Mary's parish church (KK019-026115-) in Kilkenny. Located beside the Renaissance mural monument of Thomas Shee and Amantissinia [Anistatia?] Dobbin (d.1636) (KK019-026349- ) on the S side of 18th-century 'Shee mausoleum', at the E end of the partially demolished medieval chancel.
An undecorated chest tomb (L 2.15m; Wth 0.85m), built of fossiliferous limestone, which sits on a moulded base. The front panel is flanked by plain pilasters. It overlies a stone vault containing disarticulated human bone, broken timber coffins and a 19th-century velvet-wrapped studded coffin. The cover slab was smashed open c. 2000 to reveal a lead-coffin, which in turn has been partially opened. Inside the coffin, fabric and wood from the interior, in addition to human skeletal, remains are visible. The damage was repaired in 2014 (Ó Drisceoil et al 2015; 2016). A rectangular lead plaque which is fixed to the wall above the altar-tomb reads:
JOHN POM(W?)ER O’SHE
FEB 1810 + 5 JULY 1859
R.I.P.
However, this probably relates to the coffin burial in the vault below rather than the interment in the chest tomb.

Compiled by: Cóilín Ó Drisceoil

Date of upload: 9 January 2023