Tomb - chest tomb

The National Monuments Service's description

Associated with the medieval church of Newtown Earley (KK027-012001-). A large number of graveslabs were uncovered during a clean-up of graveyard (KK027-012009-) in 1985-7 (Harte 1987, 408-17). These are currently lying within the interior of the church.
Four slabs, consisting of a mensa or table top (KK027-012005-), front panel (KK027-012006-) and two side panels (KK027-012011- and KK027-012012-) are possibly from the same chest-tomb. These are described and illustrated by Harte (ibid. 411-14, nos. 18, 19, 21 and 22).
The front panel (max. surviving L 1.27m; H 0.73m) is decorated with the symbols of the Passion. These are described by Harte (ibid. 412) as follows: The mailed fist that smote Christs cheek below the ear - prayer against the sins of hearing; the reed, symbol of Kingship, used to strike Christ - prayer to be forgiven for wronging any man; scourge - prayer against sloth; cock - Peter's betrayal; pillar and rope - prayer against unkind deeds; could be a wheat-sheaf indicating the bread of life or birch twigs; spear - prayer against the sins of pride and disobedience; cup on stick - prayer against the sin of gluttony; 30 pieces of silver - prayer against treason and covetousness; pincers - prayer to be loosed from all sins; nails - payer for help against the sins done by hands and feet; cross - prayer of repentance; ladder - prayer for preservation; hammer - prayer "May the hammer be my succour if I have smitten any with staff or knife"; sword, generally taken as that which cut off Malchus ear. Early English version is the knife of Circumcision which destroyed Adams sin - prayer "Succour me from the sin of lechery".

Reference:
Harte, R. 1987 Tombstones at Newtown Earley. Old Kilkenny Review 39, 408-17.

See attached:
KK027-012005-_01 Illustration from Harte 1987, 413, no. 19

Compiled by: Jean Farrelly

Date of upload: 26 April 2023