The tomb of Sir Lucas Dillon of Moymet (ME030-023----), who was Baron of the Irish Exchequer from 1572 and who died in 1595, and his wife, Lady Jane (nee Bath) of Athcarne (ME033-004----), who died before 1581 (Conwell 1872-3, 371-2) is towards the E end of the parish church of Newtown Conbun (ME036-049005-). The table (dims 2.05m x 1.22m; H off ground 0.98m) has the effigies of a lady and her knight carved in relief. The side-panels have three shields each, representing the Bathe, Dillon, and Barnwall families and their connections. The W end has a relief of a kneeling man and woman with three children on either side beneath a sunburst wherein is carved ‘DIEV, GOD’. The E stone has a raised panel for an inscription that was never applied. (ibid. 368-9; FitzGerald 1919-20) It is described by FitzGerald (1919-20) as: At the east end of the church ruins stands an altar-tomb bearing the effigies of a knight and his wife; they represent Sir Lucas Dillon, Knt., and his wife Joan, daughter of James Bathe, Chief Baron of the Exchequer, of Athcarne, Co. Meath, by whom he had seven sons and five daughters, the eldest son being James Dillon, created Earl of Roscommon in 1622. Sir Lucas Dillon was the eldest son of Sir Robert Dillon, Knt., Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, of Newtown, by his wife Janet, daughter of Edward Barnwell, of Crickstown, Co. Meath. Sir Lucas was also of Moymet, in the Co. Meath, where he had erected a mansion, the ruins of which still exist; he was Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and died about the year 1594; the Peerages (Burke’s “Extinct,” and Archdall’s “Peerage of Ireland, “ vol. IV) do not give a date of Sir Lucas’ death, nor do they give his second marriage, which appears on the Barnwall of Turvy tomb at Lusk as follow: “This monument is made for the right worshipful Sr. Christopher Bernewall of Turvy, Knight, by the right worshipfull Sir Lukeas Dillon of Moymett, Knight, and Daem Marion Sharl his wife, who married herr 3 years after the death of the said Ser Christopher, her first and lowing hoosbande, who had issue 5 sonnes and 15 dachters by hem. “(sic) The date of the erection of this (Lusk) tomb was 1589. Sir Christopher Barnewall died in August, 1575. The Newtown tomb bears no inscription. The east-side end is unsculptured; the west end has kneeling figures, facing one another on either side of a “Prie-Dieu,” the father with three sons behind him, and the mother with an equal number of daughters behind her. Overhead is a wreath-like cloud, in the middle of which are the words, incised, DEVS and GOD. Over each group is a shield bearing a coat of arms; that on the dexter side the Dillon coat, viz: Argent, a lion rampant between three crescents and three estoiles gules; over all a bar azure. On the sinister side the Bathe arms: Gules, a cross between four lions rampant, argent. The long sides are divided into panels containing various Arms of families related to Sir Lucas by marriage.' The tomb has no inscription, unless it was painted on the E panel, and Lodge (1779 vol. 4, 156) has supplied the inscription: MILITIS HIC LUCAE DILLONIS OSSA QUIESCUNT / CONCILIIS REGNI SUMMUS BAROQUE SUPREMUS / MENSE FEBRUARII DECIMUS CUM SEPTIMUS INSTAT / TEMPORA LUSTRALI PROFUSUS FLUMINE CLAUSIT / TERRENOS LINQUENS COELESTES SUMPSIT HONORES. An extra line between the second and third is supplied by Isaac Butler from a manuscript of 1740 (1892) but the original source in not know.: CUM SEXAGINTA CUM LECAT [?] QUATUOR ANNOS. The whole inscription can be translated as: Here rest the bones of Sir Lucas Dillon / member of the Privy Council and Chief Baron / Who, having reached the age of sixty four years, / ended his days on the seventeenth of February. / He received the last rites of the Church and / Leaving earthly, he gained heavenly honours. Compiled by: Michael Moore Date of revised upload: 11 March, 2015 Amended: 18 November 2020

Description Source: Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage