What is recorded here

Thirteen graveslabs from St Mary’s parish church or St John’s Priory were cleared from a graveyard and thrown into the River Nore to reinforce the late medieval bridge. Water hid their crosses and names for centuries, turning mortal memory into bridge rubble. They reappeared during the River Nore Drainage Scheme and now rest in Magdalan tower, no longer crushed beneath traffic but still carrying the weight of the dead they once marked.

Thirteen graveslabs were recovered from the River Nore during the archaeological excavations (01E980) carried out in 2001-2003 as part of the River Nore Drainage Scheme (Doyle and O’Meara 2004, 6-20). These were found associated with the late medieval bridge (KK019-026070-), immediately N of the current John’s Bridge (ibid. 7). It is suggested that the graveslabs were deliberately cleared from a graveyard, possibly belonging to either St Mary’s parish church (KK019-026115-) c. 100m to the W or to St John’s Priory (KK019-026068-) c. 200m to the NE, and used as part of the rubble needed to form a protective apron for the piers of the late medieval bridge (ibid. 16-19). Currently stored in Magdalan tower (KK019-026074-), Maudlin St, Kilkenny. Fragment of a limestone graveslab (01E0980: 2275) which has been cut and reused as a building stone, it has mortar accretions (ibid. 13, 14). Only portion of the incised cross survives, the circular centre as well as the sinister and lower arm of a four-armed cross with fleur-de-lis terminals, within a double-lined circle (ibid.). There is a circular knop on the cross-shaft below the cross-head (ibid.). Stylistically this dates to the 13th/14th century (ibid.). See attached photograph: KK019-026423-_01 Photograph by Chris Corlett Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 16 January 2023

Medieval Christian graveslabs; 13th to 16th century. These slabs are significant as they provide insight into medieval burial practices and the lost ecclesiastical landscape of Kilkenny City.

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