This chapel holds two magnificent tombs for the Prestons. One is a cadaver slab, it dates back between the 1440 and 1450 and this makes this one the oldest cadaver slab of the nine cadaver tombs in Ireland.
The carving on the slab depicts the decomposing body of a young woman with a number of reptiles and other creatures feeding off her flesh. Her abdomen is totally empty, her ribs are visible. The body is wrapped in a shroud which is tied at the head and feet and open in the middle to expose the body. The slab measures 2.47 metres in length and 1.37 metres in width.
It is said this slab marks the burial of Jane Preston.
East of this slab lies another smaller slab, dating between 1530 and 1540, with a double effigy of William Preston and his second wife Eleanor Dowdall. William Preston is represented with an unusual armour, unique in Ireland's effigies. A sword can be seen by his side. Eleanor Dowdall wears a double neck chain and a jeweled cap. Two winged angels are between their heads. Two dogs rest under their feet. This carved slab is 1.98 metres long and 1.09 metres wide.
A crypt is under the floor of this chapel, with 8 recesses, but now it isn't accessible anymore. The caskets in those recesses are double caskets, red cedar inside, oak outside and a lead case between them. One of these caskets is in a recess on the left hand side under the cadaver tomb, and it's the only coffin with the damages from an attempt of break-in, possibly for treasure hunting. In this coffin the skull and some bones of the deceased have been exposed. In this underground crypt there's an altar as well, which is positioned at about one metre from the feet of the double effigy slab.
#crypt #vault #cemetery #creepy
7 фев 2024
