346 Observations on the 
Holm Peel in the Isle of Man, the author of 
““Peveril of the Peak’’ has a passage, which, 
as it-cannot be deemed foreign to our subject, 
we will take the liberty of quoting,—particu- 
larly, as thedescription conveys a correct idea 
of the scene presented by almost all the Irish 
Round Towers. 
«There were, besides the castle itself, two 
cathedral churches, dedicated, the earlier tc 
St. Patrick, the later to St. Germain, be- 
sides two smaller churches: all of which had 
become, even in that day, more or less ruin- 
ous. Their decayed walls, exhibiting the 
rude and massive architecture of the most 
remote period, were composed of a ragged 
grey stone, which formed a singular contrast 
with the bright red freestone, of which the 
window cases, corner stones, arches, and 
other ornamental parts of the building, were 
composed.” “There was also one of those 
singular ‘Towers so common in Ireland as to 
have proved the favourite theme of her 
antiquaries, but of which the real use and 
meaning seems yet to be hidden in the mist 
of ages. This of Holm Peel had been con- 
verted to the purposes of a Watch-Tower.”’(£) 
The whole of this description is so strictly 
applicable to the Round Towers and churches 
(#) Peveril of th ne Peak, Vol II. p. 62—63. 
