What is recorded here

Breakers took the narrow end and upper corner of a small coffin-shaped slab at the west of Clara church, yet two Lombardic lines still trace Thomas Scor and Thomas fitz Simon Serthals beside an incised cross. Those are the oldest Shortall words known, carried from the thirteenth century into Upper Clara. They do not claim to be complete; they make completion unnecessary.

Within Clara church (KK020-017001-) or graveyard (KK020-017002-). According to Carrigan (1905, vol.l 3, 355), ‘At the west end of the church is a fragment, 4 ft. long, of a small coffin-shaped slab with incised cross. The narrow end is missing, as well as the upper corner at the right side of the cross. There are two incised Lombardic inscriptions along the sides, one beginning at the top, and continued along under the right arm of the cross; the other commencing at the foot, and continued along under the left arm. Of the former inscription all that remains is: HIC JACET THMS SCOR… Translation – Here lies Thomas Scor[thals]. The other inscription is: [HIC JACE]T THMS SERTHALS FI. SIMOND. Translation – Here lies Thomas fitz Simon Serthals. These are the oldest Shortall inscriptions we have. They date from the 13th century, and may be presumed to commemorate members of the Shortall family of Upper Clara’. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 17 November 2020

Early Christian gravestone, 7th–9th century. Its incised cross indicates a Christian burial, likely associated with an early monastic or ecclesiastical site.

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