Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 



281 



Brian's restoration was confined to the chancel, which, as I have already stated, 

 is in a totally different style of masonry from the nave, and to one or both the 

 ornamental features already described. The masonry of the nave, throughout, 

 seems clearly to belong to the original church of St. Caimin, though, perhaps, 

 the windows, or at least one of them, may have been inserted in Brian's time. 

 Of these windows, which are in the south wall, one has a semicircular head, 

 and is ornamented with an architrave, very similar in style to that of the door- 

 ways of many of the Round Towers, as shown in the annexed illustration. 



The other, which appears original, has a horizontal head and inclined sides, as 

 shown above. There is also a small triangular window, formed of three stones, 

 _____ and placed in the middle of the west gable, 



towards its summit, which, as far as I know, 

 is unique in form in Irish architecture. 



I have now, as I trust, adduced sufficient 

 evidence not only to prove the existence in 

 Ireland of ornamental architecture, of an age 

 anterior to the Anglo-Norman invasion of the 

 country, but to lead, with every appearance of 

 probability, to the conclusion that such architecture existed here previously even 

 to the Norman conquest of England. This latter conclusion will, I think, be greatly 

 strengthened, if not satisfactorily established, when it is shown that those Irish 

 VOL. xx. 2 o 



