What is recorded here

Loose inside the chancel of St Mary’s medieval parish church in Callan, a broken limestone slab preserves a bird with one wing raised above fragments of blind tracery. The chest tomb may have worn that creature as a decorative crown, while another similar fragment nearby belongs to the same lost monument. Whoever laid the stone wanted death to remember flight, not forget it.

Lying loose within the chancel of St Mary’s medieval parish church (KK026-010012-) Callan. Portion of a decorated limestone slab (L 0.3m; H 0.52m; T 0.15m) which has been broken and partially recut. The portion that survives is possibly part of a decorative band along the top of a front panel of a chest tomb. There is a plain border (Wth 0.1m) above the possible band which is decorated in false relief with a bird with one wing raised. Below the bird there are fragments of blind tracery in relief. Another similar fragment (KK026-010076-) may be from the same monument. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 27 November 2019

Chest tomb, medieval period. The tomb is significant as a fragment of a decorated limestone slab, indicating the presence of early Christian or medieval funerary practices in the area, associated with the chancel of St Mary’s parish church.

The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.