Memorial stone in Ballyconor Big

A memorial stone (dims c. 0.6m x c. 0.45m) commemorating the building of the house at Ballyconor Big (WX048-033002-) by Dionisius Stafford and his second wife Katerina Synnott of Ballygerry (WX048-017----) in 1570 (Hore 1925, 15-6) was removed from a position over the door of that house c. 1860. It was kept at Ballyconor until it was moved to Baldwinstown Castle in 1937 (Brown 1937). A shield on the stone depicts a swan chained at the neck and by one foot. The chained and crowned swan is the ancient emblem of Buckinghamshire in England, but no connection with this county can be established. See this web-page accessed on 20 February, 2014 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Buckinghamshire The stone was not noticed at Baldwinstown (WX047-022003-). Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 2 January, 2014 Amended: 20 February, 2014