Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 



285 



The erection of this church may then, with every appearance of certainty, 

 be referred to a period not much earlier than the close of the eleventh, or be- 

 ginning of the twelfth century ; and that the general character of this doorway, 

 as well as its ornaments, has a more decided resemblance to those of the 

 Norman churches in England, than any of those previously noticed in this 

 work, will, I think, be at once obvious from the prefixed outline. This resem- 



blance is found not only in the greater richness of its decorations, and the 

 boldness of its sculpture, which is in high relief, but also in the forms of its 

 capitals and bases. And I should also notice, as a characteristic of Irish archi- 

 tecture, of this period at least, the grotesque lions' heads, which are sculptured 

 on the soffit of the external arch, immediately over the imposts. 



The next example, which I have to adduce, is a church of probably some- 

 what later date than that of Freshford, and whose age is definitely fixed by 

 the most satisfactory historical evidence. It is the beautiful and well-known 

 stone-roofed church on the Rock of Cashel, called Cormac's Chapel, one of the 



" ' Aoda M'Eoen agus coighe flath teampall talamh as dlightheach deaglais coirce agus dorais ea 

 cloch amairc sleas usa agus e fearann do shin devirseach en archios.' 



" That is 



" ' The Priest, M'Roen, and chief, gave to this church the glebe of arable land ; and, over the 

 door placed this stone, as a true token ; and, with this favour, the land, slaves, and tribute.' 



" There being no date, the time of this gift cannot be determined. Freshford (in Irish AcfiaMur, 

 or Waterfield) was an ancient monastery of regular canons in the 7th century, and at present is 

 called the Prebend of Aghour." Vol. i. p. 351. 



