Tomb - effigial

The National Monuments Service's description

Fixed S of centre to the internal face of the E gable of a 19th-century C of I church which was built on the former chancel of the 13th-century church of St Mary’s (KK020-060006-) in Gowran. A limestone effigial tomb lid (L 2.09m; Wth 0.61m; T 0.18-27m) carved with a male figure in flat relief. The dexter side is carved with a double fillet roll-moulding while the thicker sinister side has a very rough surface.
This is described by Hunt (1974, vol. 1, 168) as possibly the effigy of James Butler, first Earl of Ormond, who died in 1337/8. He suggests that a similar slab (KK020-060062-) in the church probably represents his wife, Eleanor de Bohun (ibid.). The effigy could also represent Edmund, the first Earl of Carrick, who died in 1321 (ibid.).
The figure is described by Hunt as wearing, ‘a long gown falling in straight folds to above the ankles and with medium wide sleeves below which the sleeves of the kirtle show at the wrists. His left hand lies upon his breast and his right by his side. On his feet are shoes with a wide opening over the instep, fastened with buckles and a strap’ (ibid.). There is an open-mouthed stylised dragonesque figure beneath the feet. The head, with hair cut square below the ears, lies upon a double rectangular cushion.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 14 August 2019

References

Hunt, J. 1974 Irish medieval figure sculpture 1200-1600, 2 vols. Dublin. Irish University Press.