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Mr. PETBIE'S Inquiry into the Origin and 



Roscrea, in 1832. On his return to Walcott, his residence, near Bray, shortly 

 after, my friend favoured me with a letter, containing a sketch, from the interior, 

 of the doorway of the Tower of Roscrea, as it now exists, and another, with a 

 section, of the same doorway restored, for the purpose of exhibiting the manner 

 in which this doorway had been provided with double doors. Of these inte- 



resting sketches it affords me great pleasure to lay copies before my readers, as 

 well as the explanations which accompanied them. 



In the first the letter a exhibits a semicircular groove, 

 being the remains of a stone socket-hole, since chiselled off, but 

 leaving the section of the original circular hole. 



In the second, a restored view, the same letter exhibits 

 a projecting stone socket to receive the upper iron of the door. 



b. Pivot hole. 



c. Projecting stones, to receive iron bolts. 



d. Aperture in a stone at either side of the doorway, to re- 

 ceive a moveable door, placed in time of siege. 



e. Bolt hole. 



f. Rabbet, or stop, to receive the door, and prevent it from 

 being pulled out. 



The letter which accompanied these sketches is in itself so curious and 

 characteristic of the inquiring mind of its author, that I feel reluctant in 

 abridging it, and shall therefore present it to the reader in its original integrity. 



