Tomb — effigial in Howth

A 15th-century altar tomb dims. L 2.2m, 1.05m) stands at east end of southern aisle of St. Mary's church (DU015-029001-) in Howth. The tomb of Christopher St Lawrence and his wife, Anne Plunket c. 1462 was described by Hunt (1974, 144-5) as follows; 'Situated in a chantry given by the St Lawrence family around 1462 is a double altar tomb bearing the figures of Sir Christopher St Lawrence who died in 1462, and Anne Plunket, his wife. The knight is on the sinister. He is armed in the manner typical of the Meath school, of which this monument is a product. The body armour is a pair of plates Over a mail habergeon to mid-thigh. The neck and shoulders are defended by a pisane, With besagews on the shoulder points. On the head is a bascinet with a fairly acute point. There are traces of a visor. The arms and legs are of plate, the discs of the cowters matching those on the shoulders. There are gauntlets on the hands. The sword hangs from a belt at the waist, and has a short straight cross and an ovate pommel. The feet are shod with articulated sabatons with short pointed toes. The lady is depicted in a costume similar to the others of the class with V-neck and a broad flat collar, showing an underbodice of similar shape, full sleeves gathered at the wrist, a long pleated gown and decorated belt below which the revers of the tight bodice are seen descending over the stomach in a deep U form. Her head-dress is of low turret form, on which some of the foil original quatre-diaper work remains, with a short veil falling on the tasseled pillow beneath her head. The relief of the figures is unusually low. Around the chamfered edge of the slab runs the following inscription: HIC JACENT CRISTOFORUS DE SANCTO LAURENT DOMINUSET ANNA DOMINE FILIA . . . PLUNKET DE RATOAT/H OBITUS I CRISTO DOMINE ANNO DOMINE MCCCC SEXTO II QUORUM ANIMABUS DEUS PROPICIETUR. . . ME FECIT Here lie Sir Christopher Saint Lawrence and Lady Anne daughter of. . . Plunket of Ratoath who died in Christ the Lord in the year of the Lord 1462, on whose souls Christ have mercy made me. The whole inscription is in Black Letter except the 'me fecit' which is in Roman letters. It is unfortunate that the signature of the maker is illegible. Tomb-surrounds East end - The east end of the tomb is divided into four niches, having ogee arches Cusps, and separated by slender pinnacles. Beneath each arch is a figure: 1 an abbess; 2 an archbishop; 3 St Catherine; 4 St Peter West end - The west end is divided in the same manner, the figures representing: 1 an angel with a censer; 2 the Crucifixion between Our Lady and St John; 3 St Michael slaying the dragon; 4 an angel with a censer. Long sides - The sides are also niched, but the six niches are empty and instead of pinnacles, there are five shields above the dividing buttresses. Those on the south side bear the arms: 1 St Lawrence impaling Plunket differenced with an annulet; 2 Butler or le Poer; 3 Plunket; 4 Fleming; 5 Cusack. Those on the north: 1 Bellew; 2 Barry or Hussey; 3 St Lawrence; 4 White; 5 The arms of the Passion. The tomb is behind iron railings and under a slate-roofed, timber-posted canopy which protects it from the most direct effects of the weather. See attached black and white images taken by Edwin Rae from the Edwin Rae Collection, courtesy of Trinity College Dublin, http://hdl.handle.net/2262/12041 Anon. 1833 The Abbey of Howth, with Some Account of the Family of St. Laurence and Sir John de Courcy. The Dublin Penny Journal, Aug. 31, 1833, Vol. 2, No. 61 (Aug. 31, 1833), 68-70. Anon. 1833 Tomb of the St. Laurence Family, in the Abbey of Howth. The Dublin Penny Journal, Vol. 2, No. 61 (Aug. 31, 1833), 72. Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Revised by: Caimin O'Brien Date of revised upload: 14 March 2023