Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, 



265 



stroyed, and its place is supplied by a plain arch of black marble. The outer 

 arch is only ornamented with plain fillet and band mouldings, but its columns 

 present as capitals human heads in a quite Egyptian style of 

 design ; while the inner, or recessed arch, presents, both on its 

 face and archivolt, the usual chevron, or ziz-zag ornament, exe- 

 cuted in low relief, and on the capitals of its columns a figure 

 somewhat resembling the Irish crown. It may be remarked also 

 that the bases of the columns in this sub-arch have the bulbous 



character, noticed in some of the preceding examples, and 

 are stilted in a curious fashion, so as to form a triple base, 

 as shown in the annexed illustrations. 



The measurements of this archway are, in breadth, at 

 the base of the outer arch, nine feet two inches ; at the 

 base of the second, seven feet two inches ; and at the base 

 of the third, six feet : in height, at the outer arch, ten feet 

 to its vertex ; at the second arch, nine feet ; and at the 

 third, eight feet four inches. The height of the columns, 

 including the capitals and bases, is five feet four inches. 



I have already stated that there exist historical evi- 

 dences, which go far to support the antiquity I am disposed 

 to assign to this curious structure ; but I must, at the same 

 time, confess, that there is also evidence seemingly authentic, 

 which, if credible, would place the date of its erection as 

 late as the close of the twelfth century. This evidence is 

 found in a document, which purports to be a Registry of 

 Clonmacnoise, and which, as it states, was transcribed by 

 direction of Bishop Muircheartach O'Muiridhe, from the 

 original entries, which were in the Life of St. Kieran, " fearing least it might 

 be obscured or lost." The original MS. of this Registry, as Archbishop Ussher, 

 in his Report on the Diocese of Meath, addressed to King James's Commissioners, 

 states, was in existence in his time, " but had lately been conveyed away by the 

 practice of a lewd fellow, who hath thereupon fled the country." Transcripts of it 

 were, however, in the possession of the archbishop, and of his friend Sir James 

 Ware, who had it translated into English by the celebrated Irish antiquary,Duald 



VOL. XX. 2 M 



