156 [Proc. B.N.F.C., 



halt was made to examine the round tower, from which Mr. Clarke's 

 place derives its name. This "monument of time" ever continues 

 to attract the attention of antiquarians, it being one of the most 

 perfect in existence ; and forming one of the most conspicuous 

 objects in the neighbourhood to the passengers by the Northern 

 Counties Railway. It is a tapering tower about 95 feet high, with 

 the conical stone roof common to these structures ; and has, near 

 the top, four windows, each of which faces one of the cardinal 

 points. The door is at a height of about 8 feet from the mound 

 on which the tower stands, and is square-headed, with the sides 

 narrowing toward the top. The most remarkable feature of the 

 tower is that the stone forming the top of the doorway has a cross 

 carved upon it in relief. This cross is considered by those who 

 advocate the Christian origin of the Irish Round Towers to be one of 

 the strong proofs of the accuracy of their theory ; while those who 

 adhere to the pre-Christian origin are of opinion that this stone 

 has been inserted subsequently to the erection of the tower, and, 

 therefore, of no value in the determination of the question. The 

 many conflicting opinions as to the date of the erection of these 

 buildings, or the uses for which they were intended, seem no nearer 

 being solved than when they first engaged the attention of archae- 

 ologists. One might conjure up the scenes of the builders at work 

 upon them, the quarrying of the stone and the carrying of it to the 

 spot. What tools were used? How were the sturdy builders 

 attired? By what arrangements of scaffolding were the roofing 

 stones laid on ? Was there a solemn dedication service performed 

 by some of the saints whose names are now as household words, 

 or was the foundation laid in the blood of pagan sacrifices ? The 

 lost chapter of our history telling of these things we fear can never 

 be replaced ; and it would ill befit us to allow the remains of a 

 long-forgotten age to fall into decay. Happily there is little 

 prospect of such being the fate of the Antrim Round Tower ; and 

 the care so judiciously bestowed on its preservation by the lord of 

 the soil undoubtedly deserves the thanks of all who are interested 

 in the preservation of our national antiquities. Leaving the 



