82 The Early Christian Architecture of Ireland. 



known to the Irish in the Pagan period were the Cashels or 

 Cyclopean forts, built of stone without mortar, the only entrance 

 to which was by a square headed doorway, with jambs inclining 

 inwards towards the top. Within these circular forts may be 

 observed, even in the present day, the primitive hut or dwelling 

 made of stone in the shape of a beehive, examples of which we 

 now place before you. One of the most ancient stone churches 

 in Europe is Gallerus, situate about seven miles from Dingle, 

 County Kerry, near the shores of the Atlantic. The external 

 dimensions of this little church are as follows : — Twenty-three 

 feet long, eighteen broad, and sixteen high to the apex of the 

 roof. The door is square-headed, and measures five feet seven 

 inches high, two feet four wide at the base, and one foot nine 

 inches at the top. The wall at the base is four feet thick, and 

 gradually lessens to the top. It is lighted by a single window 

 of very small size in the east gable ; and here we may note that 

 all our ancient churches, with very rare exceptions, have the 

 door placed in the west gable, and a window opposite in the east. 

 Dr. Petrie quotes from one of our ancient manuscripts — a 

 tract on the Brehon Laws, now in the library of Trinity College, 

 Dublin — as well as from the Book of Ballymote, in reference to 

 the construction of the ancient churches. The tract refers to 

 building both with stone and timber, and the payment according 

 to the dimensions and class of the building, all the particulars of 

 which are minutely stated. The payment was made, not in 

 coin, but in cattle, which at that period was the usual medium 

 of exchange. The tract gives the dimensions of the Duirtheach, 

 as well as the Daimhliag, and the number of cattle that were to 

 be paid for constructing it according to the measurement. The 

 ollamh saer, or chief builder, was required to be equally skilled 

 in the art of building with either stone or timber. The usual 

 size of an oratory, internal measurement, was fifteen feet long 

 and ten feet broad, with one door in the west and one window 

 in the east. This coincides with the inside dimensions of the 

 oratory of Gallerus. In the next style of oratory, which is an 

 advance towards the present shape, the walls were built perpen- 



