Almericus de Courcy, Baron Kingsale

In the north choir aisle of Westminster Abbey is buried Almericus de Courcy, Lord Kingsale (or Kinsale) and his wife Ann. His large monument shows an effigy of him reclining on a sarcophagus. The inscription reads:

Here lyes the body of the Right Honourable ALMERICUS de COURCY, Lord COURCY of COURCY-COUNTY and Baron KINGSALE, of the Kingdom of Ireland descended from the famous JOHN De COURCY, Earl of Ulster; (who in the reign of King JOHN, in consideration of his great valour, obtain'd that extraordinary Priviledge to him and his Heirs, of being cover'd before the King). This Lord was much in favour with King Charles the II and King James the II and commanded a troop of horse under the latter. He married Ann, daughter of Robert Dring of Isleworth, in the county of Middlesex Esq; by order of whose will this monument is erected to the memory of her late Lord, he dying without issue. The said Lady left divers charity's to the parish of Isleworth: particularly 300 pounds to the Almes-Houses, 200 pounds to the Charity School, 100 pounds to poor house keepers; and is interred by her said Lord, who dyed February the 9th 1719 aged 57

The monument gives his date of death in Old Style dating (we now call this February 1720). The Courcy coat of arms is shown on the monument – "argent 3 eagles displayed gules, crowned or" (ie. a silver shield with three red eagles wearing gold crowns). He was a son of John de Courcy and Ellen (Reagh) and married Ann Dring in 1698 but they had no children. Lady Kinsale was buried in 1724.

The so-called "De Courcy Privilege" of keeping a hat on in the presence of royalty was apparently used frequently by Almericus although the historical evidence for this privilege has never been proved. The family took their name from Courcy-sur-Dives in Calvados, France and they were lords of the manor of Stoke Courcy in Somerset.