Wkstkopi' — Tlic Fort nf Dun Aenpusa in Tnishmore, Aran. 35 



Geokge Petkie (LSl'l and 1857). The notes used by Dr. retrie for his 

 " Essay on the Military Architecture of Ireland previous to the English 

 Invasion" (two manuscripts classed 12.0.9 and 10 in the collection of the 

 E.I.Acad.), most probably date from his leisurely visit in 1821, not from 

 the confused picnic meeting of 1857, when detailed obsei-vation was almost 

 impossible. We slightly condense his and the other accounts, but keep 

 every essential feature, [p. 131]' The " overhanging cliff is 360 (error of 

 copyist, rccte 300) feet above the level of the ocean." His sketch of the 

 gateway, with strongly inclined jambs, and section of the wall, 13 feet wide 

 on top, and 15 feet 5 inches below, with a strong S curve, are both inaccurate. 

 Neither manuscript is in the handwriting of Petrie. [p. 135.] 



"The keep or caher is 115 feet [150 on the plan] in diameter, the wall 

 20 feet high, and 14 feet 6 inches thick. It has one small entrance doorway, 



5 feet high and 3 feet wide. The wall contains a small chamber or cell 

 within it. The wall is of nearly equal thickness, making allowance for a 

 curve in its outer faces. The steps which led to the parapet are destroyed. 

 In the centre of the area there is an oblong level elevation of rock, apparently 

 formed by art, 42 feet long, 27 feet wide, and 2 feet high. The keep is 

 strengthened by three concentric walls, on ledges of rock, each rising above 

 the other. The first [p. 136] varies from 10 to 12 feet, and is about 11 feet 

 in thickness. It has a level terrace at the height of 6 feet from the 

 ground, and an entrance doorway, which varies in breadth from 3 to 6 feet. 

 This wall is 30 feet from the inner, and at the doorway, 234 feet. The 

 second concentric wall is situated on a lower ledge of rock, and extends 

 only about half the circumference of the first. It is about 10 feet high and 



6 feet wide ; this wall has also a terrace at about half its height, which is 

 reached by two flights of steps d and d [shown, but not lettered, in the plan 

 as in the " fragment," which is in the text confused with the second wall], 

 and has a doorway about 4 feet wide. Its distance from the inner wall varies 

 from 20 feet to 30 feet. The third and outer wall (E) occupies an irregular 

 ledge of rock, considerably below the preceding [p. 139], and varies in ita 

 distance from the former from 140 feet to 675 feet ; it is about 6 feet in 

 height and in thickness. 



" I have yet to notice the most remarkable feature in this great work, 

 namely, a sort of chevaux de /rise formed of high and sharp stones placed 

 irregularly in an upright position, with their points upwards. This extra- 

 ordinaiy barrier surrounds the second and third [.s/cj walls, and extends to a 



' The smiiUur copy ia piiginiiteil, so lliut p. 60 conespoiids to p. 135 in ilie larger one. The 

 amount on each successive page is tho same. 



