Tomb

Broken ledger of a 17th century tomb belonging to Alphra Maunsell who lived at Ballyvorneen which is now in two pieces to the N and S of the medieval nave and chancel church of Caherconlish. Remains of a 17th century tomb described in the Urban Survey of County Limerick as following; "Mansell slab. 1662. Rectangular sandstone slab (dims. 1.17m x 0.44m x 0.17m) in two pieces on the north side of the graveyard near the Gabbot vault. It is decorated in false relief with a Roman lettered inscription: here lieth the body of APHRA MANSELL MY DEAR MOTHEr daughter of sr will/LIAM CRAFFORD OF KENT HERE ALso lieth/ my deaRE WIFE MARY MANSELL DAVGHter of george booth/ ESQR OF CHESSHIRE AND OF MY SISTER APHRa pecock and her/ daVGHTER ANNE PECOCK ERRECTED BY ME john mansell esquire/ AND INTENDED FOR MYSELF AND/ the rest of my famiLY THIS 12 OF OCTOBER 1662" (Bradley et. al. 1989, 91; Mems Dead vi (1904-6), 114; Westropp 1904-5, 440). This monument was described in 1681 by Thomas Dineley as an altar-tomb and not a graveslab which was located inside the chancel of the church. The inscription on top of the ledger of the altar-tomb read as following; 'HERE LIETH THE BODY OF APHRA MANSEL MY DEAR MOTHER DAVGHTER OF S R WILLM CRAYFORD KT HERE ALSO LIETH MY DEAR WIFE MARY MANSEL DAVGHTER OF GEORGE BOOTH OF CHESHIRE ESQVIRE AND OF MY SISTER APHRA PEACOCK AND HER DAVGHTER ANNE PEACOCK ERECTED BY ME JOHN MANSEL ESQVIRE AND INTENDED FOR MYSELF AND THE REST OF MY FAMILY THIS XII OCTOBER MDCLXII' (Mems. Dead 1904-06, 114; Shirley 1858-67, 198). The lid of this tomb is now broken into two pieces one of which lies immediately S at the E end the nave of the medieval church ruins (LI014-079005-) of Caherconlish where it is visible as a low upright stone with partial inscription 'HERE LYETH THE DAUGHTER OF ...SOL YETH. MY SIST ER OF C PECOCK AND OF JOHN MANSELL THE REST OF M. The second fragment lies to the N of the church ruins at the W end behind the metal link fence that has been erected around the church ruins (pers. comm. Patrick Hourigan). Compiled by: Denis Power Revised by: Caimin O'Brien based on details provided by Patrick Hourigan Date of revised upload: 02 July 2018

A 17th-century chest tomb; associated with the Maunsell family and located near medieval church remains, reflecting early modern funerary practices in the region.