Tomb - effigial

The National Monuments Service's description

Standing at the E end of the S wall of the church (LI032-147002-) belonging to the Hospital of Aney or the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem is the effigy of an Anglo-Norman knight possibly dating from the 14th century (Hunt 1974, 201). The effigial tomb was described by Hunt (1974, 201) as following : 'This is a flat tapering slab of conglomerate carved in very low relief and bearing the effigy of a knight. The figure appears to be wearing mail, but the slab is too worn for details to be clear. The head is rounded, and a coif is probably intended. The surcoat can be distinguished; it does not appear to be of the long variety, but rather of medium length. There is no belt visible. The shoes have points. The left hand grasps the sword, which has a short straight cross, a large disc pommel and a rather straight broad fullered blade. This type of blade continued in favour from Viking times until the diamond section ousted it from favour in the fourteenth century'. It has been recently suggested that the figure on this slab is that of Roger Outlaw, prior of Kilmainham hospital, Justiciar and Lord Chancellor of Ireland, who died on the 13th of February, 1341 at the Hospital of Any (Cotter 2016, 120; Caffrey 2016, 157). His death is recorded in the annals by Friar John Clyn who wrote that on 'Tuesday, the day following [the feast of] Blessed Agatha, virgin, Brother Roger Outlaw, prior of the Hospitallers of Ireland, died at Any. He was then holding the post of justiciar and also chancellor of the lord king, thereby holding three posts simultaneously. He was a prudent and gracious man who through his industry, and by special favour and licence from the king of England, acquired many possessions, churches and rents for his order (Ó Clabaigh 2016, 217; Williams 2007, 229). Three photographs taken by Edwin Rae shows the slab lying on a low wall set into a broken out embrasure that has since been blocked up (http://www.tara.tcd.ie/bitstream/handle/2262/38936/ertk2181.jpg/2179.jpg/2180.jpg).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload: 1 May 2018

References

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

Cotter, E. 2016 The archaeology of the Irish Hospitaller preceptories of Mourneabbey and Hospital in context. In M. Browne and C. Ó Clabaigh (eds.) Soldiers of Christ. The Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar in medieval Ireland, 103-23. Dublin. Four Courts Press.

Caffrey, P. 2016 The visual culture of the Hospitaller Knights of the Priory of Ireland. In M. Browne and C. Ó Clabaigh (eds.) Soldiers of Christ. The Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar in medieval Ireland, 151-66. Dublin. Four Courts Press.

Williams, B. (ed.) 2007 The Annals of Ireland by Friar John Clyn. Dublin. Four Courts Press.

Ó Clabaigh, C. 2016 Prayer, politics and poetry: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College MS 405 and the Templars and Hospitallers at Kilbarry, Co. Waterford. In M. Browne and C. Ó Clabaigh (eds.) Soldiers of Christ. The Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar in medieval Ireland, 206-17. Dublin. Four Courts Press.