Armorial plaque (present location) in Meldrum

This limestone plaque (H 0.67m; Wth 0.88m) has been inserted into a recess above the doorway into the older portion of Meldrum House (TS061-021002-) which is probably late 17th century in date. The plaque, bearing a date of 1622, has a central recess within a moulded frame which contains a heraldic shield. Beneath the shield are the initials G S on the dexter side and the initials M C on the sinister side. The shield is halved vertically (per pale), the dexter arms are those of the Sall family, showing the attires of a stag fesswise and in chief a portcullis and the sinister a lion passant guardant. The plaque is likely to have come from Meldrum Castle (TS061-56001-) which lies c. 400m to the E and which is possibly an early 17th-century fortified house (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 226). A graveslab (TS061-025094-) in the graveyard (TS061-025035-) of the C of I Cathedral in Cashel bears an inscription to Geoffrey Sall, who died in 1622, and his wife Margaret Corcran (FitzGerald 1902, vol. 5, 249). James Sall, probably a son of Geoffrey and Margaret, was the proprietor of Meldrum Castle in 1640 (Simington 1931, vol. 1, 226). Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 26 August 2011