Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 



251 



first represent the sculptures on the frieze, as drawn by Monsieur Beranger ; 

 and I need scarcely add, that they appear obviously to be of cotemporaneous 

 age with those of the Priest's House, already given : 



Of the illustrations which follow, the first represents the chevron moulding 

 on the archivolt, and the second is a section of the pilasters. 



The height of this window, on its inner face, from the sill to the vertex of 

 the arch, was fourteen feet, and its width six feet three inches ; and externally it 

 was about seven feet in height, and one foot in width. The pilasters, including 

 their bases, were ten feet in height ; and the capitals, or frieze, eight inches. 



Dr. Ledwich, who is ingenious in his explanations of Irish allegorical 

 devices, thus describes the sculptures on this frieze : 



" The Eastern window is a round arch ornamented with a chevron moulding. The sculptures 

 of the impost mouldings are legendary. On one part a dog is devouring a serpent. Tradition tells 

 us, that a great serpent inhabited the lake, and it is at this day called Lochnapiast," [correctly 

 Loch na peiste] "or the serpent loch, and being destructive of men and cattle was killed by St. 

 Kevin. In another part the saint appears embracing his favourite Willow, and among the foliage 

 may be discovered the medicinal apple." Antiquities of Ireland, second edition, p. 176. 



2 K 2 



