What is recorded here

Good Mary of Summerhill died in November 1689, and her leaning headstone still tilts forward at the centre of the graveyard as if struggling to keep reciting her own praise. The crudely cut letters shrink toward the bottom, forcing the reader to bend closer and share the stone’s effort. She may have been ordinary, but the trouble taken to carve her kindness suggests someone wanted that virtue to outlast both of them.

The headstone (Wth 0.68m; H 0.63m; T 7-9cm) of Mary from Summerhill, dated 1689 (FitzGerald 1910), is leaning forward severely at the centre of the graveyard (ME043-031001-). The incised legend in roman letters inside a raised frame is crudely executed, the letters becoming smaller towards the bottom. It can be read as: [ON THE…] DAY OF NOVEMBER IN THE / [YEA]R 1689 THE BODY OF GOOD MARY / [..]EAY OF SVMMERHIL WAS HERE / LAIN SHE (WAS) ONE THAT IN CHARITY / DID ABOVD SINCE FIRST SHE / LAID HER FOOT VPON THE / GROUND. SHE WAS ONE / THAT NEVER DID GRVDGE OF HER FRIEND/ OR WHAT GOD GAVE HER IN THIS WORLD / …EAD SHE WAS ONE THAT NIVER HAD / ….VRS SHE WAS TO HIPAST (?) AND A / ….ANOTHER AMOANVRSE SHE LIVED /…..HER HVSBAND MARTY VIARCANO / …HATH Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of upload: 24 March, 2015

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