Graveslab in Fethard

Lying at the E end of the former chancel of the medieval parish church of St John the Baptist (TS070-040001-), currently Holy Trinity C of I church. This graveslab was buried at the E end of the chancel and was discovered when a vault for Wray Palliser was being built in 1861. It is a rectangular limestone slab (L 2.1m; Wth 0.75m) which is decorated with a seven-armed segmental-headed cross with fleur-de-lis terminals. There is a knop at the base of the cross-head and another at the base of the cross-shaft. The lower part of the cross-base is rectangular while the upper portion is triangular in shape. The inscription in latin, in Black Letter script, runs around the border and up the cross-base and shaft. Brennan (1864-6, 16) transcribes the inscription as: HIC JACET ROBERTUS NALE QUIESCENS QUI FUIT SUPERIOR FIDERDIAE ET JOHANNA EVE'RD UXOR EIS.QUI M. FIERI FECERUT ANTE MORT'IPSOR' ANO DNI Mo.CCCCCo LIIo IDE ROBERT OBIIT ANO DNI Mo Vc LXIo. The inscription was also transcribed by Stephens (Vigors and French 1895-97, vol. 3, 335-6) and translated as follows, 'Here lies ROBERT NALE at rest who was superior of Federd [Fethard] and JOHANNA EVERARD his wife, who me let make before their death in the year of our Lord 1552. The same ROBERT died in the year of our Lord 1561'. Long (1907-09, vol. 7, 178) also transcribed the inscription but he interpreted Robert's surname as 'Vale'. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of revised upload: 4 March 2015

Medieval Christian graveslab, 12th–14th century. Its location at the eastern end of the chancel suggests it may mark an important ecclesiastical or lay figure, reflecting the religious and social history of the medieval parish.