Tomb - effigial

The National Monuments Service's description

Stored within the chancel of St Mary’s medieval parish church (KK026-010012-) Callan. Portion of a limestone panel (L 0.51m; H 0.68m; T 0.15m) from an effigial tomb, both sides are broken off, however, it is likely to be the dexter side as the stone as it is uncarved initially at the dexter end. The panel would have been divided into a series of ogee-headed niches and this fragment contains the first figure, that of St Catherine, decorated in false relief. She is holding a sword in her left hand which is pointing downwards and a book in her right hand. Her wheel is visible beside her, to her right, behind the folds of her flowing garment. She is wearing a crown and her hair is falling in a thick plait over each shoulder. The spandrels have foliate decoration, also in relief. The stone is broken roughly horizontally across the middle, below St Catherine’s neck. Hunt (1974, vol. 1, 165; vol. 2, plate 321) assigns a 16th-century date for this tomb fragment.

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 27 November 2019

References

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