Graveslab in Kilbeggan

The 17th century parish church (WM038-107006-) and graveyard of St. James in the town of Kilbeggan was located near the western limit of the town (WM038-017----). The present ruins of the 18th/19th century C. of I. church standing in the centre of a disused graveyard (WM038-017013-) probably stands on the site of the parish church and graveyard of Kilbeggan that is listed in the 1606 land grant to Sir Oliver Lambert where it is described as 'a small chapel or church (WM038-017006-) belonging to the town of Kilbeggan, and to the parishioners of said monastery (WM037-017007-)’ (Erck 1846, 268). The patron’s day at Kilbeggan was held on the 24th of July, the eve of the feast of St James (Ó Riain 2011, 93). The site of the Cistercian monastery (WM038-107007-) of Kilbeggan and a graveyard (WM038-017002-) lies 190m to the SSW and S respectively. A 16th/17th century graveslab belonging to John Nelson was recently unearthed in the NE quadrant of the graveyard adjacent to the boundary wall and close to the entrance gate. The undecorated tapering partially damaged graveslab (dims. L 1.68m; top Wth 0.73m; base Wth 0.64m) has a Latin inscription carved in false relief running around the edge of the slab. The corner of the slab has been broken off and is now missing and so the inscription survives in an incomplete form. The surviving inscription reads ' Hic jacet joannes nelson qui obii die ..... poster .....'. A John Nelson is listed in the c. 1659 census of Ireland as living in Kilbeggan. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien based on details kindly provided by Chris Corlett Date of upload: 28 September 2017