What is recorded here

Loose in the chancel of St Mary’s Callan, a broken limestone panel from an early 17th-century chest tomb still displays the five wounds of Christ, a pierced heart, a cock, a flail, a sword, scourges, a purse and thirty pieces of silver. It may have formed the dexter end of a burial chest, but its other side is gone, leaving the passions of that lost tomb exposed like a reminder rather than a finished monument.

Lying loose within the chancel of St Mary’s medieval parish church (KK026-010012-) Callan. Portion of a limestone front panel (L 0.62m; H 0.61m; T 0.11m) from a chest tomb, possibly the dexter end piece as it has a straight side at this end while the other is broken off. It is decorated in raised relief. At the dexter end there is a fluted pillar which tapers towards the base and has a semi-circular capital surmounted by volutes. The decorative scheme consists of symbols of the Passion, the sinister side is broken off. Displayed are the five wounds of Christ, hands and feet and a central heart pieced with swords. There is a cock above the heart and a birch flail beneath it. Peter’s sword and a scourge are depicted on the dexter side of the heart and a scourge, with a purse beneath it, are depicted on the sinister side of the heart. There is a plain upper border (Wth 0.05m) and the lower border is interrupted by a depiction, in two horizontal rows, of the thirty pieces of silver. Stylistically this chest tomb panel dates to the early 17th century. Compiled by: Jean Farrelly Date of upload: 27 November 2019

Chest tomb, medieval period. The fragment suggests funerary architecture associated with the medieval parish church of St Mary’s, indicating local ecclesiastical and commemorative practices.

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