What is recorded here

Charles Fort and the old Market House both held the plaque before the museum claimed it. It is not a lost relic, not a hidden cache and not a broken gate. The story is a visible plaque that moved between public buildings and is still on display. The interesting part is that Kinsale kept saving the stone instead of letting the gate disappear into oblivion.

This armorial plaque is on display on the ground floor of the Kinsale Museum, which is situated in the old Market House (CO112-034007-). In recent years it was on display, with another armorial plaque (CO112-034009-), for some time in the Desmond Castle (CO112-034006-) nearby. According to local information, both were originally built into the Cork Gate of Kinsale, which was part of the town defences (CO112-034002-). This gate was demolished by 1805 and the plaques were retrieved and kept for a time at Charles Fort (CO125-007----). This, the larger of the two plaques, is rectangular (H 0.7m; Wth 0.64m) and has the arms of Queen Elizabeth on a heater-shaped shield encircled with the garter, with the letters ER and the date 1576 between the shield and the garter. The royal motto (HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE) is inscribed on the garter. There is a crown above the garter-frame and it is flanked by a crowned lion to the left and a dragon to the right. Below the frame, to the left, is a harp and, to the right, a portcullis. The carving on the plaque is in relief. The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 5' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2009). Date of upload: 22 December 2009

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.