Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 10<J 



SECTION IV. 



THEORIES OF THE CHRISTIAN ORIGIN AND USES OF THE ROUND TOWERS. 



1. That they were Anchorite Towers. 2. That they were penitential pri- 

 sons. 3. That they were belfries. 4. That they were keeps, or monastic trea- 

 sure-houses. 5. That they were watch-towers and beacons. 



1. ANCHORITE TOWERS. The hypothesis that the Towers were erected for 

 the use of anchorites, in imitation of the pillar of St. Simon the Stylite, origi- 

 nated with Dean Richardson, of Belturbet, and has been warmly advocated by 

 Walter Harris, in his edition of Ware's works, pp. 130 135, and in later times 

 by the celebrated architectural antiquaries, Dr. Milner and Mr. King. 



The arguments adduced in support of this hypothesis rest almost entirely 

 on the supposed agreement, in form, size, and internal construction, between 

 the Irish Towers and the pillars of the Eastern Anchorites, to prove which 

 Harris is at great pains to establish a uniformity, which, it will be easy to show, 

 certainly never existed. 



The first point of agreement, as Harris gravely states, consists in both being 

 of a round form. " Those of Asia were in form round, so are ours." This 

 I am forced to concede. 



Secondly. " They [the Eastern Pillars] were of various Heights, so likewise 

 are ours." This, too, I must allow. But the Eastern Pillars varied in height from 

 six cubits, or nine feet, to thirty-six or forty cubits, in one of great celebrity, 

 while the Irish Towers varied in height from sixty to one hundred and thirty 

 feet. The only point of agreement therefore is in each class being of various 

 heights ; and on the same data Harris might with equal justice have asserted a 

 common origin for any two classes of objects, however differing in other re- 

 spects. 



Thirdly. " That they were hollow, as ours are." This agreement Harris endea- 

 vours to establish in opposition to the learned Bollandus, who expressly states 

 that the Stylite columns were solid. For this purpose he first translates a pas- 

 sage of Evagrius (Hist. Eccl. lib. i. chap. 3) as follows : 



" At the same time, (i. e. in the 4th Century) flourished Si/meon, a man of celebrated Memory 

 and high Fame. He first instituted the Station in a Pillar, and built a little dwelling Place (Do- 

 micilium) on it, the Measure of which was scarce two Cubits." 



