Armorial plaque

The National Monuments Service's description

In pasture on low rise of ground with good views in all directions. Tristernagh abbey (WM011-053---) located 570m to ENE. Tristernagh House was the residence of the Piers family in the 17th century. Sub-circular shaped graveyard (WM011-051001-) with church ruin (WM011-051---) in centre, with base of cross (WM011-051002-) in SW quadrant. Armorial plaque with latin inscription commemorating Sir Henry Piers and dated 1620 has been inserted into and blocked up original window embrasure located off centre to W in S wall of church. The plaque contains the armorial shield of Sir Henry Piers along with winged cherubs and a Latin inscription. Beneath the armorial plaque are the remains of a 17th century chest tomb (WM011-051004-). In 1826 it was recorded that inside ‘this chapel is the sepulchral vault of the Piers family. An altar monument, bearing the family arms, commemorates the first Sir Henry Piers’ (Brewer 1826, 240). The plaque was described in the Annals of Westmeath (Woods 1907, 305) as following: ‘At the top of the tomb are the Piers arms, together with a quotation from Psalm lxxxvii: - “Misericordias Domini in Aeternum Cantabo”. It bears the date 1620. As already stated he died in 1623. The inscription is in Latin, of which the following is a translation –“Beneath this stone is buried Lord Henry Piers, of renowned piety, sprung of an illustrious stock, who repaired the house of Tristernagh, an hospitable native, who by a holy instinct erected this tomb after he had renovated the sacred edifice and constructed the adjoining road (WM011-049----), commending the rest to Christ. His soul, thou reader, assist by your prayers’’. On the lower panel of the monument is the following: - “William Piers, father of Henry Piers, a very brave and liberal Chief, whose mother was Anne Holt, descended of a noble family; his wife was Jane, daughter of Thomas John (Jones), Chancellor of this kingdom, and of Margaret Purdon, born in a high rank of life”.

Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 13 July 2015

References

Brewer, J.N. 1825-6 The beauties of Ireland: being the original delineations, topographical, historical and biographical of each county, 2 vols. London. Sherwood, Jones and Co.

Woods, J. (ed.) 1907 Annals of Westmeath ancient and modern. Dublin. Sealy, Bryers & Walker.