Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, <$fc. 123 



And lastly, the more laboured efforts of Dr. Ledwich, in our own time, in 

 support of the same theory, have only served to increase the darkness in which 

 our ecclesiastical antiquities were previously involved. 



While the Irish were thus instructed in error by their own most distin- 

 guished antiquaries, the uncertainty in which the origin of our ecclesiastical 

 architectural remains was involved was still further increased by the opinions 

 expressed on this subject by the most distinguished antiquaries of England 

 and Scotland, who universally adopted Ware's opinion that the Irish were un- 

 acquainted with the art of building with lime and stone previously to the twelfth 

 century. They even go so far as to apply the same dogma to the architectural 

 remains of the Irish colony of Scots, who settled in Scotland in the beginning 

 of the sixth century, as an example of which I quote the following passage, 

 from Pinkerton's Enquiry into the History of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 141 : 



" Ancient monuments of the British Scots there are none, save cairns of stones, used as sepul- 

 chres, and as memorials. These were adapted to Celtic indolence : while the Gothic industry raised 

 vast stones, instead of piling small ones : nor are any cairns found in Gothic countries, so far as I 

 can learn, except such as are very large. The Celtic churches, houses, &c. were all of wattles, as 

 are the barns at this day in the Hebudes ; so that no ruins can be found of them. The early cathe- 

 dral of Hyona must have been of this sort; and it was burnt by the Danes in the ninth century. 

 The present ruin is not older than the thirteenth. In the twelfth century Saint Bernard represents 

 a stone church as quite a novelty even in Ireland." 



Opinions such as these, which I shall prove to be wholly erroneous, pro- 

 ceeding from authorities of weight, have had an effect in Ireland doubly mis- 

 chievous, and greatly to be deplored ; first, as stripping our architectural 

 remains of their true antiquity, and thus destroying that charm of association 

 which would have led to their preservation ; and secondly, on the other hand, 

 as preparing the public mind for the reception of those wild theories respecting 

 the pagan origin of the Round Towers, which, originating with General Val- 

 lancey, have been so generally adopted by his followers in the same school. 



Under these circumstances, to disabuse the minds of my countrymen of 

 prejudices, which are calculated to lessen them in the estimation of the learned 

 and judicious, while, at the same time, I satisfy them of the extreme antiquity 

 of the ecclesiastical architectural remains, still so abundant in Ireland, and thus 

 excite a desire for their conservation, is a task which, however humble, I may 



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