1864.] 



The Pillar Towers of the British Islands, 



557 



were christianised, and the town and adjacent district were dedicated 

 to God and Saint Bridget, in the fifth century (A.D 456)*. It is 

 probable, at this early period, that they followed the heathen custom of 

 worshipping in the open air, (sub dio) at sacred stones ; for we find in 

 the eighth century (A.D. 711) that Nectan III., King of the Picts, 

 being dissatisfied with the primitive custom of worship, and desirous 

 to follow the Romish ritual, wrote to Ceolfred, Abbot of Jerron, in 

 Northumberland, requesting information regarding certain disputed 

 observances, and asking for architects to build a church, which was to 

 be dedicated to St. Peter, the Prince of the apostles. f The architects 

 were accordingly sent, and the church was built of stone, like that of 

 the Romish church. This has passed away ; new churches, and a 

 collegiate establishment formed by the Culdees, and a priory, established 

 in 1273, have disappeared : since then, another very old church has been 

 taken down, and in the beginning of this century, another was built 

 rather remarkable for its superior style of architecture. During these 

 changes, extending over a long period, the Pillar Tower has stood, and 

 is still distinguished by its form, and by the admirable manner in 

 which the material was selected and the building executed. 



' The Abernethy Tower stands on a sloping bank, at a short distance 

 from the Ochill hills, and a mile south of the river Tay, near where it 

 joins the Earn. The view from the tower is contracted towards the 

 south by the proximity of the hills, where a beautiful valley stretches 

 southwards ; while to the north, there is an extensive prospect of a 

 rich and undulating country, the granary of Scotland, towards which 

 direction the entrance of the tower looks. The building is 75 feet in 

 height, and 48 feet in circumference ; and its extreme diameter at the 

 top is 13 feet 9 inches, increasing to the bottom, where it is 15 feet 6 

 inches ; the thickness of the wall at the top being 2 feet 9 inches, and 

 at the bottom 3 feet 7| inches. The tower is now without a roof, and 

 the coping over the wall is probably modern. It is divided into five 

 stages, each supported by stone abutments. The tower is built of 

 sand-stone, which is now much disintegrated, except on the lower and 

 western side, where there are twelve courses of grey freestone, little chang- 

 ed by exposure to the weather. The stones are all carefully dressed 

 convex on the exterior, tapering inwards, and concave on their inner 



* Innes' Critical Essays, vol. 1 ? pp. ]11 ; 122, 117. 

 t Bede, L. 5, c. 21. 



