Patterson — On some Ancient Sepulchral Slabs. 273 



XLI. — On some Ancient Sepulchral Slabs in the Counties or 

 Down, Antrim, and Donegal. By William Hugh Patterson, 

 M.R.I.A. (Abstract). (With Plates X., XL, XII., Pol. Lit. and 

 Antiq.) 



[Read May 12th, 1873.] 



Monumental Slabs, of tapered shape and ornamented with floriated 

 crosses carved in relief, are very numerous about the sites of the older 

 religious establishments in England and Scotland, such as Bakewell in 

 Derbyshire, Iona, and elsewhere. In Ireland they are of much rarer 

 occurrence ; but have been found at Kilkenny, Youghal, and other 

 places where the Anglo-Norman families effected permanent settle- 

 ments. In many cases these slabs bear legends, in raised letters, of old 

 English or Longobardic form. 



This fashion of monument seems to have been brought over by the 

 Anglo-Normans, as it differs completely in character from the Irish 

 grave slabs, so much so, that it would be difficult to conceive a develop- 

 ment from the one to the other ; and, so far as I know, these tapered 

 coffin-shaped slabs are only found in those parts of Ireland where the 

 English fixed themselves. 



One of the early seats of Anglo-Norman power in the north of 

 Ireland was in the eastern parts of Down, particularly the districts 

 surrounding Strangford Lough, that is, the baronies of Ards, Castle- 

 reagh, Duh'erin, and Lecale. 



It is said that at one time thirty stone castles stood around 

 Strangford Lough, to guard that remote portion of the English pale. 



In this extensive district the cemetery of the ari.ient abbey of 

 Movilla, close to Newtownards, at the head of Strangford Lough, appears 

 to have been the favourite burying-place of the Anglo-Norman settlers, 

 if one may judge from the number of these monuments found there. 



The abbey of Movilla, founded by Einian, about the year 540, 

 flourished for upwards of a thousand years, and was, perhaps, with the 

 exception of Bangor and Downpatrick, the most famous religious 

 establishment in the north-east of Ireland. It was probably a place 

 for religious observances, even in pre-Christian times, as its name 

 Movilla — the Irish Magh-bile, means "the plain of the ancient tree." 

 Finian founded his missionary church on a site already sacred in the 

 eyes of the natives of the district. 



There is but one slab at Movilla with an inscription in Irish. This 

 curious stone was found in 1840, by Mr. Robert Jameson, under a heap 

 of rubbish in the churchyard, and is now in his garden, which adjoins 

 the cemetery. The slab measures four feet long by one foot eight 

 inches broad. A cross of Irish character extends the whole length of 

 the slab, and the inscription : — 



or X)o 'oenunen'o 



