O'Reilly — On the Round Tower of ChamhleH. 647 



This cliiirch is approfiehecT from the lo^er level of the narrow streets 

 forming- the village by a broad flight of about twenty steps, and is a low, 

 building, witliout much indications of style, and having a rather flat, 

 tiled roof. The tower stands at the north-west corner of, and at about 

 8 to 10 feet from, the nearest point of the church, but, as remarked, 

 it stands quite alone. I was able to take the circumference of the 

 tower at the base, or rather level of the ground, and to estimate the 

 heiglits and widths of the different parts of the structiire sufficiently 

 for a general description, and while awaiting more accurate measure- 

 ments Avhich I have reason to hope will be made available. "^NHaile 

 engaged in examining the tower, the Cure happened to be in the 

 church, and kindly brought me the key of the lower door, explaining 

 to me at the same time, quite spontaneously, that this door was not 

 part of the tower as it originally stood, and was relatively recent, as is 

 indicated by its structure, its dimensions, and the state of the surround- 

 ing masonry. "\\''hat at once struck me was the situation of the 

 original doorway, at about 15 feet above the lintel of the lower door, 

 its trapezoidal and narrow form, contracting from the bottom to the 

 top, and the shape of the lintel so like in outline certain of the doors 

 of the round towers figured by Petrie and others. This door looks 

 about south-east ; at the same level, and on the western side, a half 

 turret projects from the side, the bottom part of which is formed of 

 two stones cut away on the line of junction so as to leave a sort of 

 Y-shaped void, by which, therefore, communication could be had with 

 the ground. The top part was battleniented, the prhicipal part of 

 the battlements still remaining as indicated by the sketch. The roof 

 was flat, or practically so, and the rain was drawn off by gargoilles, 

 two of which are shown. These details occur in certain of the Irish 

 round towers, notably at that of Kells. 



What further struck me as remarkable are the square holes which 

 extend at intervals of about 6 to 7 feet more or less regularly from 

 top to bottom, and which have about 8 to 10 inches in section; that 

 is about the height of the courses of masonry. These holes are thorough 

 so far as ascertained. The masonry is in courses of ch'essed granite, 

 having a variable height of about 8 to 10 inches. The mortar has, in 

 the lower courses at least, a thickness of nearly 1 inch in places. So 

 old is the building that both the granite stones and the mortar have 

 been much eaten away, so much so that the stones appear quite 

 rounded, and that to an extent difficult to render in a sketch. Tliere 

 are two small windows or loop holes at about the level of the lintel of 

 the original door, and looking east and west, but not figured on the 



