GA-STNL-0383

This monument is an altar-tomb-cum-window. The window portion is of three lights with cusped semi-pointed heads and simple switch line tracery. The mullions are roughly lozenge-shaped Ones with flat-ended nibs inside and out. A short segment of the top of each mullion is either replaced or retooled. The original bar-holes and glazing grooves (if such were present) have been obscured by modem cement and putty. In the semi-pointed embrasure the stones of the window head are tooled with light pocking. The rest of the reveal has ashlar blocks with light vertical tooling, and in most instances, there is a plain rim around the edge of each block. A faceted moulding, smoothly worked, runs down the centre of the embrasure and terminates in triangularshaped stops on either side. An engaged pilaster-shaft with moulded capital and base occurs on each side of the embrasure. This pilaster continues above each capital to form an inner hood moulding. The moulded shaft on the right is ogee-shaped in section. That on the left is of similar form but is attached to a further rectangular sectioned shaft which continued beyond the window soffit and which seems to have ended in a now absent decorated finial. This engaged shaft has a recess with a small cusped, semi-pointed head at the top. The lowermost segment of the moulding on the right hand side of the embrasure has been deliberately cut away at some stage. The lower portion of each side of the embrasure is decorated in each case, with the Lynch arms. The arms are in a plain shield with semi-pointed base and flat chief and are carved in false relief. Below this, in each instance, is a figure of an angel in high relief. Each angel holds an object in its outstretched hands. In both instances most of the angel's head and the object it carries has been destroyed. This destruction was wrought, according to tradition, by the Cromwellian soldiers in 1652. Enough remains to show that the objects held by the angels were heavily moulded and cressetshaped, (like a wide squat candlestick). These figures are curly-haired and each wears a long garmet which is taken in at the waist. The garments have a U-shaped collar and large plain cuffs. The garments are straight except at the middle where folds are visible. The ends of the garments are scalloped and the underside of each figure - which are shown without legs - are decorated with curvilinear folds. The wings are delicately modelled and, though cut in lower relief than the rest, the treatment of the feathers is highly detailed. Traces of paint occur on the hair and wings of the figure and some black substance is visible in the folds of the garment of the angel on the right. In the centre of the window above the tomb mensa is an unomamented plaque measuring 48cm by 46cm bearing the above inscription in Roman capitals. Hardiman (1820), 252 gives an accurate reading of the inscription but inserts modem punctuation where it does not occur. Fleetwood Berry (1912 B), 65 gives a translation of this The Lynch Altar Tomb-cum-window, (Cat. No. 383). The heads of the angels are said to have been destroyed by the Cromwellians in the 1650's when they stabled their horses in the church. The plaque commemorates a Stephen Lynch who, like the Cromwellians, is described on the stone as the "terror of his enemies"! The blank panel in front of the tomb may have been rebuilt. The Lynch coat of arms and defaced figures of angels occur on the sides. These angels are shown holding unidentified, moulded objects in font of them. On some British tombs cressets, lamps or places for candles occupied a similar position. Drawings by Ines Neumann. inscription as follows "Stephen Lynch, of illustrious lineage, the darling of his soldiers and the terror of the enemies, in years still a young man, but old in valour, of whom the world was not worthy, was exhalted to heaven the 14th of March, A.D. 1644". The inscription is cut in low false relief and is very carefully worked. Some of the letters bear reamed lines. There are clear traces of narrow, incised, lay-out lines for each line of the inscription. What appears to be paint occurs in the background to the lettering. The plaque is otherwise plain and the area around it is plastered flush with its surface. Lozenge-shaped stops occur between the words of the epitaph and there is a little Greek cross at the left hand comer of the inscription. The mensa is plain and has been partly restored with cement and stone in modem times. The underworks are surrounded by a simple chamfered frame and the ashlar within this frame is all plain. Part of the mensa has been altered and a short extra segment of mensa moulding projects form under the left hand base of the monument. The frontal part of the underworks consists of large, plain ashlar blocks, partly obscured by a modem radiator. Some of the slabs have apparently been partly retooled but retain traces of off- white paint and some darker "staining" which someone has attempted to remove in modem times. Substantial traces of dark paint also remain in the background of the shields with the Lynch arms. These would have had an azure (blue) background when painted in their proper heraldic tinticures. A narrow bowtell-like moulding runs along the outside of the soffit of the window-embrasure. A narrow five-sided moulding with U-shaped terminations also occurs near the centre of the soffit. A single finial seems to have originally been present at the top of the engaged rectangular pilaster on the right hand side. There is no trace of a corresponding feature on the left side, though there was probably one there originally. Externally the window has a plain hood mould with stepped stops. The moulding has a hollow internal chamfer. The window is set in rebuilt masonry and has no externally visible relieving arch.