439 



which was simply rectangular, and of early thirteenth century age. It 

 appears that the original east gable, which was pierced by a wide 

 splayed window, was broken through to construct a narrow chancel arch, 

 leaving the top of the window undisturbed. At the re-edification of 

 the church and building of the chancel, the massive buttresses support- 

 ing the north and south walls of the nave were added, leaving the ori- 

 ginal doorway in the south wall undisturbed. The west gable is pierced 

 for a small window loop, at the height of twelve or fourteen feet from the 

 ground; and this, as I have had frequent occasion to remark, appears 

 to have lighted the dwelling room, of the officiating ecclesiastic, which 

 possibly resembled the gallery of some of our modern churches. 



1^0. 64. — Yiew of the interior of the east and west gables of the old 

 church of Kilmacomb, near Dunmore, county of Waterford. That of the 

 east gable shows the occurrence of several square holes piercing the 

 wall, the two lowest having probably answered the purpose of peep 

 holes, which are commonly found in churches of the thirteenth and four- 

 teenth centuries. The west gable shows an offset at the springing of 

 the roof, on which the beams of an upper room may have rested ; and 

 this idea is borne out by the fact, that at the apex of the gable there is 

 a square-headed window, whch would have lighted such an apartment. 



JSTo. 65. — Ground plan of the old church of Kilmacomb, showing the 

 position of the doorway in the north wall. 



lio. 66. — Plan of the old church of Stradbally, county of Waterford. 

 This building indicates two different periods of construction, viz. the 

 original church, consisting of nave and chancel, of the fourteenth cen- 

 tury, and the massive square tower attached to it, on the north side, at 

 the junction of the nave and chancel, which is probably of the fifteenth 

 century. There are two doorways in the nave — one in the north, and 

 the other in the south wall — that in the north being headed with an 

 equilateral pointed arch, and its door fastened from within by a massive 

 wooden bar, sliding in a groove constructed in the thickness of the wall. 

 The massive tower on the north side of the church was of three stories 

 (each lighted by a small loop in the north wall) ; and to give it its required 

 proportions, the north wall of the chancel was removed, and made to 

 encroach on the church. The exact position of the original entrance to 

 this tower is now not apparent ; but it may have been by a doorway 

 raised above the floor of the chancel, to which access could be had only 

 by a ladder. On the west side of the basement floor of the tower, a 

 narrow flight of steps in the west wall lead to the room above. 



No. 67. — Plan of the old church of Killea, near Dunmoi*e, county of 

 Waterford. This building is singular in its plan, the chancel having been 

 prolonged on the north side, so as to form the base of a slender square 

 tower. Three sides of the tower yet remain, and its basement room is 

 arched. There are two peep holes in the north wall of this room, and a 

 broad recess on the same side; each room was lighted by a window loop 

 in the north wall : of the walls of the church the foundations only remain, 

 and there is an indication of a chancel arch. 



ISTo. 68.— East window of the Black Abbey at Kilkenny, the- date of 

 which is about the end^of the fourteenth century. 



