648 Froceedings of the Royal Irisn Academy. 



drawing. The view from the top of the tower must be rery extended 

 and commanding. In the interior I was able to note that the lower 

 part is vaulted at the level of the threshold of the original door, and 

 that a communication exists between this lower part and the upper 

 portion through a square hole. I was also able to note that the roof 

 of the tower is also apparently vaulted. There is a somewhat similar 

 tower at about a half-a-mile distance in the direction of the Forez 

 plain, but I had only a view of the summit as it projected above the 

 oiitline of a neighbouring hUl. 



On my return to St. Etienne I sought out any further information 

 obtainable regarding this tower, and have to thank llonsieur Jos. de 

 Freminville, Archiviste Departmental de la Loire, and Monsieur 

 Xoel Thiollier, Archiviste Palaeographe (the author of the little 

 excursion guide book) who very kindly placed at my service the infor- 

 mation immediately accessible relative to the tower. This is known 

 in the country as the " Tour noire de Chambles." I was shown the 

 paragraph concerning the village in the remarkable work in 2 vols., 

 folio, by Mr. Felix Thiollier, "Le Forez Pittoresque et Monumental," 

 which contained about as much as is known relative to the place and 

 its monuments, but which does not furnish much detail of any con- 

 sequence as regards the tower. On calling the attention of these 

 gentlemen to the points of resemblance, which the tower presents witti 

 those of Ireland, and in particular as regards the position and form of 

 the door, they seemed struck by my observation, and at my sugges- 

 tion, agreed that it would be desirable to have the building measured 

 in its various details and described. For these details we must wait 

 before any final judgment is come to as to the exact designation of the 

 monument, but from what is contained in the present brief notice, it 

 can be recognized that the building presents certain characteristics and 

 details of structure, which connect it with the round towers of this 

 country, and that consequently it may serve as a term of comparison 

 for their more perfect study. Messrs. de Freminville and Thiollier 

 remarked that a more careful search in the country would probably 

 bring to light the existence of other towers of this sort, and thu- 

 f umish further terms of comparison from the Continent, and more pars 

 ticularly from the valley of the Loire, wliich formerly was the high 

 way by which merchandise and traffic passed from the Mediterranean 

 to these islands. These gentlemen further informed me that Chambles 

 was the site of a Celtic Oppidum, and that remains had been found 

 there attesting this. The general aspect of the village, and the manner 

 in which the church and tower are surrounded partly by a wall and 



