48 The Sepulchral Structures and 



groups. In the ancient book of " The Cemeteries " eight great 

 burying-places are named where the kings and nobles of the 

 various provinces were interred. Besides these, there are several 

 other cemeteries of great importance, but not entitled to rank 

 with those eight. Of the first rank Brugh-na-Boinne and 

 Relig-na-ree are well known. Tailtin was another of the great 

 cemeteries, but some doubt exists as to the exact locality where it 

 was situated. The great cemetery of Brugh is situated on the 

 northern side of the Boyne, between Slane and Netterville, for 

 a distance of three miles long, and one mile broad. There are 

 three great mounds, beside many minor ones, in Brugh. The 

 three principal are New Grange, Dowth, and Nowth. The first 

 two are chambered, aud have been thoroughly explored and 

 described. Nowth still remains unexplored, owing to the un- 

 willingness of the proprietor to permit its being opened. Sir 

 Wm. Wyld, in his " Beauties of the Boyne and Blackwater," 

 says of New Grange that there are some 180,000 tons weight 

 of stones in the mound of New Grange. It covers nearly two 

 acres ; it is 400 paces in circumference, and 80 feet higher than 

 the natural surface of the hill. A few yards from the outer 

 circle of the mound there appears to have stood originally a 

 circle of enormous detached blocks of stone, placed at intervals 

 of about ten yards from each other. Ten of these still stand on 

 the south-eastern side. Dr. Wyld concludes his description of 

 New Grange as follows : — "This stupendous relic of ancient 

 Pagan times, probably one of the oldest Celtic monuments in 

 the world, which has elicited the wonder and called forth the 

 admiration of all who have visited it, and has engaged the 

 attention of nearly every distinguished antiquary not only in the 

 British Isles but of Europe generally, which, though little known 

 to our countrymen, has attracted thither pilgrims from every 

 land." 



The lecturer proceeded to show a series of photographic views 

 of the exterior of New Grange, the remains of the stone circle, 

 the entrance to the mound, a ground plan of the mound, 

 showing the arrangement of the stones in the entrance passage 



