Tomb

One of two grave-slabs (see also LH025-005001-) located in the nineteenth-century Beaulieu church. This is a cadaver effigial monument. It is a tomb cover, almost rectangular in shape (L 1.5m, Wth at top 0.49m, Wth at bottom 0.4m), and has no inscription, but is ascribed to the mid-fifteenth century by Roe (1969, 10-11). The effigy is approximately life-size, is completely skeletonised, and lies flat on its back with arms and hands outstretched resting on the folds of its garments. The cadaver is covered with various kinds of vermin, including a serpent going in one ear and out the other, horned worms at its side and swollen speckled toads lying on its breast. There is a headdress-like knotted shroud with long wavy tresses like a cap or caul patterned with embroidered lines etc. It was moved into the porch of the church for safe-keeping in the summer of 2018. (CLAJ 1944, 277; Roe 1969,1-19) See the attached view of the cadaver The above description is derived from both the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1986) and the 'Archaeological Survey of County Louth' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1991). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of revised upload: 2 October 2018

Cadaver effigial tomb, medieval period (likely 14th–15th century). It is significant as a rare example of mortuary art reflecting memento mori themes in later medieval Christian funerary practice.