Armorial plaque (present location)

The National Monuments Service's description

17th century armorial plaque (dims. H 0.85m; Wth 0.75m) showing the coat-of-arms of the married couple of Richard Nugent, first Earl of Westmeath and his wife Jane Plunkett, daughter of Christopher, 9th Lord of Killeen. The armorial plaque is now incorporated into the W face of the E parapet wall of the 19th century section of Finnea Bridge (WM001-052----) (Manning 1997, 29). The shield is divided horizontally containing the arms of the Nugent family on the left consisting of ermines and two horizontal bars and those of the Plunkett family on the right consisting of a bend or diagonal strap with a castellated tower, a coronet above the shield and supporters on each side in the form of a cockatrice with elevated wings on the left and a horse or Pegasus on the right. At the top of the plaque are the initials R N and I [J] P in raised lettering which represent the name of Richard Nugent, Baron of Delvin and first Earl of Westmeath, and his wife Jane Plunkett, daughter of Christopher, 9th Lord of Killeen. The earldom of Westmeath was created in 1621, Richard Nugent died in 1641 and his wife died in 1643. On the bottom right hand side are the incised numbers 43 which may have formed the date 1643 the numbers 16 are not visible on the bottom left hand side of the plaque. Beneath the shield there is an entwined floral motif. The armorial plaque may commemorate the death of Jane Plunkett or possibly when the medieval bridge of Finnea was extended on the E side. A medieval castle (WM001-001----) was located in the field 45m to the E of the bridge.

Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 28 March 2017

References

Manning, C. 1997 The Bridge of Finnea and the Man Who Built It. Archaeology Ireland, 11, 1, 29-31. Wordwell.