Graveslab in Gowran

Fixed S of the tower, to the internal W wall of a 19th-century C of I church which was built on the former chancel of the 13th-century church of St Mary’s (KK020-060006-) in Gowran. A limestone graveslab (L 2.35m; Wth 0.89m; T 0.16m) which is decorated with a seven-armed segmental floriated cross in false relief within a recessed panel. There is a three bar knop at the base of the cross-head. The shaft rests on a stepped Calvary mount. There is an illegible inscription, which appears to have been deliberately defaced, along the base and dexter margin of the slab which continues in two lines across the face of the slab below the barred knop with the date 1686 beneath it. Beneath this in English capitals there is a later inscription in three lines across the slab with the date 1696 below this. Carrigan (1905, vol. 3, 404) was unable to read the earlier inscription but transcribed the later one as, ‘CHARLES AGAR BURGES DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 14TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 1696’. Listed by Cockerham (2009, 363). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 19 August 2019