Cemetery: Christ Church Memorials pg 298-310 

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Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives
Dublin Index
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File contributed by:  C. Hunt 

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL MEMORIALS - DUBLIN 
[From Lord Walter FitzGerald.] 

'Christ Church Cathedral was originally founded in honour of 
the Trinity, by Sitric, the Danish King of Dublin, in 1038. 
The name "Christ Church"is Danish, and was used to denote a 
head church or cathedral. It was situated within the Danish 
fortifica- tions, whereas the ancient parochial church of 
St. Patrick's stood outside the walls of Dublin: the latter 
was constituted a prebendal or collegiate church in 1190, 
and raised to the dignity of a cathedral in 1219. 

'A compact and well-illustrated handbook on the history of 
Christ Church Cathedral was written in 1901 by William 
Butler. 

'The present magnificent structure is mainly due to the 
muni- ficence of Mr. Henry ROE, at whose sole cost the 
restoration was carried out during the years 1871-78. At 
this time several thou- sands of cartloads of debris, clay, 
and human remains were cleared out of the crypt, and 
existing coffins were collected and built up in an air-tight 
vault in the crypt. 

'A small burial-ground existed till the time of the 
restoration to the east of the old Chapter-house, the 
foundations of which were only discovered when the 
restoration was complete. 

'In 1878 the Rev. John FINLAYSON published a little book on 
the monuments and mural tablets in the Cathedral; but it is 
so full of little errors in the spelling of the inscriptions 
that one's impression is that he wrote them down from the 
reading out of an assistant. 

'In this number of our Journal the older inscriptions inside 
the Cathedral are given, two of which - those on the 
Kerdiffe slab and the Wood slab, which both lie in the north 
transept - do not appear in Canon Finlayson's little book. 

'On a future occasion we hope to give the inscriptions on 
the more modern monuments, the majority of which were placed 
in the crypt at the time of the restoration.' 

The South Aisle. 

'In the wall of the south aisle there are two inscriptions 
of the sixteenth century, one on some stones arranged in a 
cross-shaped framework, and the other on a mural slab. 

'The inscription on the former is in large lightly incised 
capital letters, with the exception of the D's, which are 
all of the Lombardic type. It reads ':-

THE : RIGIHT : HONORABL : T : ERL : OF : SVSSEX : L : 
LEVTEA[T] : THIS . WAL . FEL . DOWN . IN : AN : 1562 : + THE 
 BILDING : OF  THIS "WAL WAS :.IN : AN : 1562 

'This inscription is, of course, not in its original 
position. There are two or three more lettered stones in the 
crypt exactly similar to those in the above inscription; and 
one with the date 1580 on it (not 1180, as Canon Finlayson 
prints it).' 

'Close to the last given inscription is a mural slab (58 
inches long by 19 high) bearing an inscription in raised 
Roman capitals, 

(image here)

The Inscription in the Wall near "Strongbow's "Tomb. [From a 
photograph by W. Conneff, Verger.] 

several of which are conjoined. In this case, too, all the 
D's are in the Lombardic form. The inscription in seven 
lines reads ' : -

THIS : AVNCYENT : MONVMENT : OF : RYCHARD : STRA NGBOWE : 
CALLED . COMES : STRANGVLENSIS : LORD : OF : CHEPSTO : AND : 
OGNY : THE : FYRST : AND : PRINCYPALL : INVADER : OF : 
IRLAND : 1169 : QVI : OBIIT : 1177 : THE : MONVMENT : WAS : 
BROCKEN : BY : THE : FALL : OF : THE : ROFF : AND : BODYE : 
OF : CHRISTES CHVRCHE : IN : ANo : 1562 : AND : SET : VP : 
AGAYNE : AT : THE : CHARGYS : OF : THE : RIGHT : HONORABLE : 
Sr : HENRI : SY DNEY : KNYGHT : OF : THE : NOBLE : ORDER : L 
: PRESIDENT : OF : WALLES : DEPUTY : OF : IRLAND : 1570 : 

* In last line Wales is spelt "Walles" and not "Wailes," as 
all the printed accounts have it.' 


'Opposite to this mural slab, between the piers of the 
aisle, is placed the effigy of a knight in excellent 
condition. It is popularly known as "Strongbow's Tomb,"but 
for three principal reasons it cannot possibly be so. First, 
because Strongbow's tomb was smashed by the fall of the 
church, and this effigy is in splendid preservation, with 
the exception of the features of the face ; secondly, 
because the large rowels of the spurs prove it to beof a 
later date by about 150 years; and thirdly, because in the 
upper portion of the shield there are three crosses 
crosslet, whereas Strongbow's arms, as depicted on his seal, 
are "Or, three chevronels gules, in chief a label of five 
points azure."

(image here)

The so-called Strongbow's Tomb. [From a photograph by Mason, 
Dublin.]

'What is very probable is that when Strongbow's tomb was 
destroyed in 1562, another was substituted for it by the 
Deputy, Sir Henry SYDNEY, as it was customary in old bonds 
and leases to insert a clause to the effect that the money 
payments were to be made at Strongbow's tomb, and this 
practice continued down to the time of the restoration of 
the cathedral in 1871. 

'By the side of this effigy is another of very small 
dimensions, as it measures 3 feet in length, and 16 inches 
in breadth. It represents a youth to near the knees, and 
might easily be mistaken for a female figure, but for traces 
of chain-mail at the sides of the head. The folds in the 
chain-mail coat, too, look like a skirt. The boy has his 
hands in front of him, apparently supporting his protruding 
entrails, and this has given rise to the ancient tradition 
that the little effigy represents Strongbow's son, whom he 
ran through with his sword for showing cowardice when 
attacked by the Irish. If Strongbow had a son, as stated in 
the legend, he must have been by a former wife, as 
Strongbow's wedding with Eva, daughter of Dermot 
MacMurrough, King of Leinster, only took place at Waterford 
in 1170, and by her he had an only child Isabel.' 

The South Transept. 

'All the monuments in this Transept are mural ones, some six 
in number, including the 19th Earl of Kildare's, which 
stands on the pavement against the west wall, and was 
formerly on the north side of the Communion Table. The 
inscription on this latter monument reads as follows':- 

To the Memory | of | Robert Earl of Kildare | the nineteenth 
of that Title in Succession | And in Rank the first Earl of 
Ireland | He married the Lady Marie O'Bryen | Eldest 
Daughter of WILLIAM Earl of Inchi- quin ; | By whom He had 
Issue Four Sons and Eight Daughters; | of which number | 
only Iames, the Present Earl, and the Lady MARGARETTA | 
Survived Him. | Together with the Titles, He Inherited the 
Virtues | of His Noble Ancestors | And Adorned every Station 
He possessed. | Truth, Honour, and Justice, | Directed the 
whole Course of His Life. | The Daily Devotions of His 
Family | And the Public Worship in the Church | Were, by His 
Regular attendance, | Cherished and Recommended. | Tho' 
possessed of a great Estate | He managed it with a 
particular Prudence and Economy, | In order to give a freer 
Course to His many & great Charities. | He was a 
disinterested Lover of his Country, | without any 
Affectation of Popu- larity, | and was Beloved of all, not 
because He sought it, | But because He deserved it. | He was 
| A Most Tender and Affectionate Husband, | An Indulgent and 
Prudent Father, | A Sincere and Steady Friend. | His 
Disconsolate Relict | In Testimony of Her Gratitude and 
Affection. | And the better to Recommend to His Descendants 
| The Imitation of His Excellent Ex- ample, | Caused this 
Monument to be Erected. | He Died the 20 Day of February, | 
A.D. 1743, in the 69th Year of His Age. 

'Canon Finlayson, in his book on the Cathedral Monuments, 

states that there was formerly a brass plate in the 
FitzGerald Family Pew, on which was inscribed :-

This Seate belongs to John,* Earl of Kildare, and his 
family, for Ever ; being conveyed to him by the Deane and 
Chapter of Christ Church, November 17th anno Domini 1696. 

(image here)

The Agard Mural Monument. [From a photograph by W. Conneff, 
Verger.] 

'Near the Kildare tomb is a mural monument in the south 
wall, containing kneeling figures, with an inscription in two 
panels ; that on the left hand side runs thus :- 

HIC SITVS FKANCISCVS AGARD, ARMIGER, QVONDAM COHORTIS 
EQVITVM IN SCOTIA SVB DOMINO SEIMOR DE SVDLEY ANGLIC 
ADMIRALLIO PREFECTVS POSTEA COMITATVI WEXFORDI^E PREPOSITVS 
IN BELLO CONTRA o'NEALVM CENTV EQVITVM DVCTOR PROVINCE 
MOMONLE COMMISSARIVS PRIMARIVS REGIONVM O'BREN ET o'TOLO 
SENESCHALLVS REGNI HIBER- NICI PER ANNOS XXVI (REGNANTIBVS 
MARIA ET ELIZABETHAE) 

* The 18th Earl, who died without surviving male 
issue in 1707, and was succeeded by his cousin, the Kobert 
of the Monument. 

CONSILIAKIVS PRVDENTISSIMVS. OBIIT XI OCTOBRIS 1577 CVM 
HENRICVS SIDNEIVS AMICVS EIVS LONGE HONORATISSIMVS IAM 
SECVNDO ESSET HIBERNLE PROREX VNAQ : SEPELITVR VXOR EIVS 
CHARIS- SIMA IACOBA DE LA BRETT CVM THOMA FILIOLO. 

"Translation by Canon Finlayson ':-

Here is buried Francis AGARD, Esqr, at one time commander of 
a troop of cavalry in Scotland, under Lord Seymour of 
Sudley, Admiral of England, after- wards appointed Seneschal 
of the County of Wexford in the War against O'Neil. Leader 
of one hundred horse ; Chief Commissioner of the Province of 
Munster ; and Seneschal of the Countries of O'Byrne and 
O'Toole. He was a most sagacious Councillor of the Kingdom 
of Ireland for twenty-six years, during the reigns of Mary 
and Elizabeth. He died on the 11th of October 1577 when his 
right honourable friend Henry SYDNEY was, for the second 
time, Viceroy of Ireland. Together with him is interred his 
very dear wife, Jacoba de la Brett, with their infant son 
Thomas. 

'In the right-hand panel the following is inscribed':- 

HERE LYETH ENTOMBED LADYE CECILIA HARRINGTON DAVGHTER AND 
CO-HEYRE OF FRANCIS AGARD ESQVIER MOST DEAR AND LOVINGE WYFE 
OF SYR HENRYE HARRINGTON, KNIGHT, WITH WHOM WHEN SHE HAD 
LYVED 7 YEARS MOST VERTVOVSLY, AND HAD BROVGHT FORTH TWO 
SONNES, JAMES AND JOHN, SHE ENDED THIS LIFE THE 8 OF 
SEPTEBER IN THE YEARE 1584. FOR WHOSE MEMORE AND HER 
FATHERS', SYR HENRY HARRINGTON, KNIGHT, HIR LOVING HVSBAND, 
AND HIS SVCCESSOR IN OFFICE, ERECTED THIS MOMVMENT ATT HIS 
OWNE CHARGES. _____

'A small brass, also in the south wall, bears two 
coats-of-arms depicted in colours, and below them the 
following inscription ':- 

HEERE LIETH BVRIED THE SECOND AND THIRD SONNES OF THE RIGHT 
HONORABLE SIR ARTHVRE GREY, KNIGHT OF THE ORDER, LORD GREY 
OF WILTON, AND OF THE LADY JANA SIBILLA, HIS WIFE, WHYCH 
CHILDREN DYED IN THE CASTEL OF DUBLIN, IN THE TIME OF HIS 
DEPVTACON HEERE. 

'The two sons here mentioned are not given in Burke's 
"Extinct Peerages." Sir Arthur was Lord Lieutenant of 
Ireland in 

1580: his death took place in 1593. His second wife was Jane 
Sybilla, daughter of Sir Richard MORRISON, and widow of 
Edward, Lord RUSSELL, eldest son of the second Earl of 
Bedford. 

'Under the arms is the motto :- "At vincet pauperiem 
virtus," i.e. "But merit will overcome poverty." On a stone 
tablet placed in the wall over the brass is a repetition of 
this motto, with Sir Arthur GREY'S arms. 

' The coat-of-arms built into the wall below the brass 
belong to Sir Henry SYDNEY. 

'Alongside the Grey monument is a modern black and white 
marble mural tablet erected to the memory of Surgeon John 
Hamilton, who died on the 2nd November, 1875. 

'Off of the south transept, on the east side, is a chapel 
known as St. Laurence 0' Toole's Chapel ; it contains two 
effigy-bearing slabs, and what is known as " The Lumbard 
Stone." This latter is supposed to date from the fourteenth 
century. The inscription is partly in Roman capitals and 
partly in Lombardic lettering, all incised ; it runs thus in 
five lines ' : — 

(????)

'At the end of the first line two letters are chipped away; 
and in the name Peris at the end of the second line there is 
a chip below the loop of the P, in which, with the aid of a 
light, a lower loop, deeper than the chip, can be discerned. 
If this should be the case, this surname ought to be read 
Beris. 

'Several attempts at translating this Norman-French 
inscription have been made, but none with which antiquarians 
are entirely satisfied. Canon Finlayson renders it much as 
follows ':-

JOHN LUMBARD, of the country of Parma, and Dame Rame Peris 
(or Beris) of St Salvador of Esturia, his wife, and all 
their kin who died whilst in this land lie here. 

'This slab measures 33 inches in length by 17 inches in 
height.' 

The North Transept. There are three mural monuments, and 
several slabs in the floor. The mural monuments are:- 

(image)

The Sydney Coat-of-Arms Mural Slab. [From a photograph by W. 
Conneff, Verger.] 

' I. A stone bearing Sir Henry SYDNEY's arms, in a garter, 
with supporters. 

'II. A monument to James HEWITT, Viscount Lifford, which 
bears the following inscription :-— 

Near this Place | are interred the Remains of James Lord 
Visc. Lifford, | late Lord Chancellor of Ireland. | The 
unanimous Sense of a Grateful Nation | is the best 

Testimony | of the unblemished Integrity with which for the 
space | of 22 Years | He filled his High and important 
Station ever | Firmly adhering to the Maxim he had | 
originally assumed | as a guide to his Judicial decisions, | 
Be Just and fear not. | What he was as a Father, a Husband, 
and a Christian | is deeply Engraven | on the Memory of his 
surviving Family and Friends, | and will avail long after 
this frail Memorial | shall Perish and be forgotten | A 
Memorial which is rather intended as the | Grateful and 
dutiful offering of | Conjugal affection, and Filial Piety, 
| than to be the record of his Virtues | to Posterity. | 
Died A.D. 1789 Aged 73 years. 

(image here)

The Griffith Mural Monument. [From a photograph by W. 
Conneff, Verger]. 

'III. The Griffith monument which bears three shields with 
coats-of-arms, all quartered, and below them the following 
inscription in relief, in which many of the letters are 
conjoined ':- 

THE . ARMES . OF . EDWARD . GRIFITH . OF . PENRIN . IN . THE 
COVNTE . OF . CARNARVON, ESQVIER, SONE . AND . HEIR . TO SIR 
. WILLAM GRIFITH, KNIGHT, WHO . ARRIVID . IN . THIS . LAN D 
' THE . 23 . DAI . OF . SEPTEMBER . AP ' HENRI . [sic] 1631 
. AND . DIED . IN THE .12 . OF . MARCH . FOLLOWING . ONE . 
OF . THE . PREVY . CON SAILEHER . AND . CAPTENE . OF . 2 
HONDRED . AND . FIFTI FOOTEMEN . ERECTED . BY . SIR . 
NICOLAS . BAGNOLL KNIGHT . MARCHALL . OF . THIS . REALME . 
WHO . MARIED ELIN . ONE . OF . HIS . DAVGHTERS . AND . CO . 
HEIRS . AND NOWE . RENEVED . Bl . SR . HENRI . BAGNOL . 
KNIGHT . SONE . AND HEIRE . TO . THE . SAID . SIR . NICOLAS 
. AND . DAME . ELLEN. 

'Of the flat slabs several are unfortunately in a very worn 
state. One of them has the sunk outline, showing that at one 
time an ecclesiastical brass was fixed to it. Another, a 
very large limestone slab occupying the centre of the 
transept, has the emblems of the four Evangelists cut in 
relief on the corners, and an illegible inscription in 
lightly incised "black-lettering" running round the edge, 
the centre portion being unsculptured. 

'A slab near the doorway, facing east, is in good 
preservation, and the inscription running round the edge 
(with an extra line on the left side) is easily read as 
follows ':- 

HEARE . VNDER . LYETH . THE . BODY OF ' RIGHARO ' BROWNE . 
SOVM . TIME . SHERIF . OF . DVBLIN . WHO . DEPARTED . THIS 
LYFE . THE . [illegible] . DAYE . OF . IVLY . an . dm . 1615 
. AND . HIS . WIFE . MARGRET . STAPLES . WHO . CAVSED . [a 
hand] THIS MONUMENT . TO . BE . MADE . FOR . THEM . AND . 
THEIRE . POSTERITIE . 

'At the upper end of this slab is carved a cross on steps, 
and below it is a shield bearing two coats-of-arms impaled, 
viz. :- 

'For Browne :- A two-headed eagle displayed. 'For Staples :- 
Three swords, converging at the hilts in the centre of the 
shield. 

'On the left-hand side of the shield are the initials R. B., 
and on the right M.S. At the lower end of the slab is a 
heart bearing an 

(image here)

The Browne and Staples Coat-of-Arms. [From a rubbing by W. 
FitzG.] 

I.H.S., and pierced with three nails, and below this device 
are a skull and cross-bones with the words ECCE and HOMO.' 

'Close to the BROWNE slab is another which had an 
inscription running round the edge in Roman capitals, but it 
is now worn away, except for a few of the letters.' 

'A slab closely resembling the BROWNE slab in its design and 
lettering lies at the opposite side of the transept. Only 
the lower 

(image here)

COAT-OF-ARMS ON EDWARD GOFF'S SLAB (1607), IN CHRIST CHURCH 
CATHEDRAL, DUBLIN. 

[From a rubbing by Lord Walter FitzGerald.] 

portion is in a fair state, and what can be deciphered of 
the inscrip- tion reads ' :- 

MARCHANT . WHO . DEPARTED . THIS . LYFE . THE . 16 . DAY . 
OF FEBRVARY- an . dm . 16(07) . AND . HIS . WYFE . MARGERY 
WHO ' CAVSED ' THIS . MONVMENT . TO . BE MADE . FOR 

'At the lower end of the slab is a coat-of-arms impaled (the 
right half being quite indistinguishable) ; on the left of 
the shield are the initials E.G., which stand for Edward 
GOFF, son of Patrick GOFF, Alderman of Dublin. 

'The arms in the dexter half of the shield are :- 

'Azure, a chevron between two fleurs-de-lis in chief, and a 
lion rampant in base, or," for Goff. 

'There is also a motto commencing respice 

'At the foot of the slab are a skull and cross-bones, and 
the puzzling words homo and bvlla are plainly to be read.' 

'Close to the wall, in which the Lifford Monument is built, 
are two small slabs, one with lettering in relief, and the 
other incised. The inscription on the former is easily read 
' :- 

HERE . LYETH . THE . BODIE . OF . WILLIAM . WOOD . LA TE . 
VERGER . OF . CHRIST . CHORCH . WITH . HIS . FO VRE . 
DAVGHTERS . WHO DECESSED . IN . THE . YEARE 1650 

'Several of the letters are conjoined.' 

'The other slab is of a bad quality, and consequently what 
is given below was deciphered with very great difficulty ' 
:- 

Here under lieth in- terred the body of Christopher Kerdiffe 
Bachelour of Divinity and Rector of Kilmore and Tarah sonn 
of Nicholas Kerd [iflfe] Kings serjeant . . . who deceased 
November .... 


'According to Canon Healy's "History of the Diocese of 
Meath," Christopher Kerdiffe was Rector of Kilmore and Tara 
from 1670 till (his death in) 1675.' 

'Neither of these two inscriptions is given in the Rev. John 
Finlayson's " Monumental Inscriptions of Christ Church.' 

' Close to the door leading to the organ-loft is a fragment 
of a limestone slab, on which is cut in relief the date 

(image here)

which stands for the year 1544. As can be seen in the 
rubbing, of the two 8-like figures only a little more than 
half of each is represented ; and, as the half of eight is 
four, these two half eights stand for two fours (44). As far 
as I can remember, I have never met with another example of 
this (easily misread) method of figuring fours, though I 
know of one example in England which occurs at the ancient 
(religious) Hospital of St. Cross, near Winchester. 

'This finishes the lettered monuments in the north 
transept.' 


Source 
Journal of the Association for the Preservation of the 
Memorials of the Dead in Ireland.  Vol VII, FHL# 1279254