22 The Round Towers. 



doorways the first idea of an arch, the curve being scooped out 

 of three or five stones ; the stones of the doorways are gene- 

 rally of some finer material than the rest of the wall, and some- 

 times an architrave or moulding is introduced. In the fourth 

 style we find the doorways formed with a regular radiating 

 arch of six or more stones, with architrave, or fine examples of 

 the decorated Irish Romanesque of the twelfth century. Miss 

 Stokes considers that the following conclusions may be drawn 

 from those comparisons: — i. That these towers were built 

 after the Irish became acquainted with the use of cement and 

 the hammer. 2. That the towers were built at or about the 

 period of transition from the entablature style of the early Irish 

 period to the round-arched decorated Irish-Romanesque style. 

 3. That the largest number of these towers were built before 

 this transition had been established, and while the Irish 

 builders were feeling their way to the arch. 4. That as this 

 transition took place between the time of Cormac O'Killen and 

 Brian Borumha — i.e., between a.d. 900 and 1000 — the first 

 groups of towers belong to the first date. The average thick- 

 ness of the wall at the base of the towers is from 3ft. 6in. to 4ft. 

 The usual diameter at the level of the doorway is from 7ft. to 

 9ft. internally. The towers taper, and their walls diminish in 

 thickness towards the top. In height the towers vary from 

 about 50ft. to over 100ft. Internally the towers were divided 

 into six or seven storeys. The floors, which were of wood, 

 were supported in one of three different ways. The beams 

 either rested on projecting abutments in the wall, or there were 

 holes for the joists ; or, thirdly, corbels or brackets supported 

 the floors. The height of the doorway above ground averages 

 13ft., but it varies considerably. The doorways always face the 

 entrance of the church to which they belong, unless in those 

 instances where the church is evidently much later than the 

 tower, and it is found that the position of the tower was usually 

 about 20ft. distant from the north-west corner of the church. 

 The name by which these towers are usually distinguished by 

 the writers of the Irish annals is " cloicthech," signifying bell- 

 house or belfry. There are numerous references in the annals 



