O'Reilly — Old CJmrchefi of KilUoj^tJie-Grange^ ^c, .115 



lintel, it showed 84-5 cm. (2' 9-27") on one side, and 85 cm. (2' 9-46") 

 on the other, or a mean of 83-8 cm. (2' 9"), for these measurements, 

 that is, very nearly the ''vara" value of 83-5 cm. ^[either the 

 length nor the breadth of the nave shows, in their present condition, 

 any noticeable relation of dimension with the "vara" unit. As to the 

 orientation, which might be expected to be relatively correct, consider- 

 ing that the building is near the level of the sea, and that no 

 obstacles of any importance interpose themselves between it and the 

 eastern horizon (it being also assumed that the original intention of 

 the builders was to orient the church due east and west), such 

 seemingly was not the case, as the orientation was found to be E. 12° 

 52' north, which would corresj)ond to about the 25th April or 20th 

 August. As regards these dates, O'Hanlon's " Lives of the Irish 

 Saints" gives for the 2!i.tli April, St. Flann, "son of IN'essan " 

 (article xi.), ("probably in the seventh century"); article xiii., 

 St. Elann, abbot of lona, Scotland (ninth century), abbot of Hy. 



As regards the unit of measurement employed in the construction 

 of the churches described in this Paper, and in the preceding on the 

 churches of Dalkey, and the conclusion arrived at that it was the 

 Castilian " vara " of 835 mm., it is important here to refer to the 

 excellent article given in Smith, Wayte, and Marinden's "Dictionary 

 of Greek and Roman Antiquities " under the word mensura. After a 

 full discussion therein of tlie data existing as to origin of the various 

 units of measure known to the ancients and cited by the authors, they 

 say (p. 152, vol. ii.): — "In Western Europe we find three foot- 

 standards, the Italian, proved, from the writings of the Gromatici 

 (surveyors) and from buildings, to be about 275 mm. ; the Roman, 

 known to us from actual measures to be 296 mm. ; and the Pes 

 Dnmamis used by the surveyors in Gaul and Germany, and= 333 mm. 

 It will be seen (they continue), from the tables accompanying the 

 article, that the Attic and Roman standards are practically identical, 

 that so also the Pes Drusianus, the ttovs cfuXiTatpeios, the ^ginetan 

 foot and the Ionian foot, are almost identical ; whilst the Italian foot 

 is almost identical with the Phrygian foot of 277*5 mm." jS'ow the 

 Castilian foot = -^-f ^mm. = 278-3 mm. (10-95"), and consequently for 

 all purposes of measurement of buildings of the antiquity and character 

 of the churches described in my previous Paper on Dalkey Island 

 church and in the present Paper, or indeed of any ancient building 

 existing in Ireland, the Castilian foot and the Phrygian here men- 

 tioned may be taken as identical. 



There is, however, another Spanish foot that may be mentioned. 



R.I.A. PROC, VOL. XXV., SEC. c] [10] 



