Graveslab

The National Monuments Service's description

Inserted into the internal N wall of the tower of the 13th-century church of St Mary’s (KK020-060006-) in Gowran. A limestone graveslab (L 2.16m; Wth 0.8m) which is decorated with a seven-armed floriated cross, with a barred knop at the base of the cross-head. The shaft rests on a curving Calvary mount. The inscription in Latin in raised black letter script, runs within a margin around the edge of the slab, starting on the sinister side, in the lower sinister corner. It is transcribed by Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 404) as, ‘Hic jacet Patrici Purcell quoda costabulari de Gowran q obiit A˚.Dⁱ. Mcccccxlv et Johana Roth uxor eius q obiit A˚.Dⁱ. Mcccccxl’. It translates as, here lies Patrick Purcell constable of Gowran who died 1545 and Johanna Roth his wife who died 1540. Listed by Cockerham and Harris (2001, 181).

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 19 August 2019

References

Carrigan, Rev. W. 1905 (Reprint 1981) The history and antiquities of the diocese of Ossory, 4 vols. Kilkenny. Roberts Books and Wellbrook Press.

Cockerham. P. and Harris, L. 2001 Kilkenny funeral monuments 1500-1600: a statistical and analytical account. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 101C, 135-88.