149 



shield, and on it is impaled a human head, of which the features 

 are defaced ; resting on the shield, and beneath the left side of the head, 

 is an ornament like the rowel of a spur. 



Wo. 13. Yiew of the east window of the Anchorites' church atEore.* 

 This building stands on the slope of the hill, just above the ancient 

 church of St. Eechin, and its erection would date at about the early 

 part of the sixteenth century ; it consists of a massive, low, square 

 tower, having a small projection in its north-west angle to admit of 

 circular stairs, which led from the nave of the church, or basement 

 floor of the tower, to the room over the arch, which was capable of being 

 used as a dwelling, and was provided with a fireplace in the south 

 wall. On the exterior of the north wall of the church is a small stone 

 tablet, bearing the following inscription, in raised Roman capitals: — 



" THE EIGHT HONORABLE RICHARD NUGENT EARLE OF WESTMEATHE AT 

 HIS OWN EXPENCES REBUILDED THIS CHAPLE AND CASTLE EOR THE BURYING 

 PLACE AND PIOUS USE OE HIMSELE AND HIS SUCCESSORS ANNO DOMINI 1680." 



Above this, and carved in high relief, is an earl's coronet, resting on a 

 winged griffin. 



So. 14. Plan of the Anchorites' church at Fore, showing the position 

 of the fireplace in the room above the arched chancel. It would appear 

 that subsequent to the building of the tower the circular stairs were 

 blocked up, and a doorway opened into this room in the wall over the 

 chancel arch, access to which must then have been by a ladder from the 

 nave of the church. 



Wo. 15. Doorway of the very ancient church at Agharra, f in the 

 county of Longford, near the village of Legan. This doorway is flat- 

 headed, and quite Cyclopean in its character, being as beautifully and 

 massively constructed as the doorways of this class which we find at 

 Glendalough. The lintel measures six feet six inches in length, and 

 some of the adjoining stones measure seven feet six inches in length. 

 I am not aware that this very ancient church has ever been described 

 by any antiquary. 



JSTo. 16. Yiew of the central gable of the old church of Agharra, 

 which was originally the east gable of the building, showing the in- 

 sertion of a doorway and a window loop in it, in order to adapt the 

 western or ancient portion of the church to the purpose of a dwelling- 

 house ; by this modification the chancel was available as a chapel for 



[notes by the rev. dr. reeves.] 

 * The Anker House at Fore. 



See, for description, Vallancey's " Collectanea," vol. i., p. 63. See Harris' u Ware," 

 vol. ii., p. 135. 



f Agharra I take to be a phonetic form of Echaradh, which is thus mentioned in the 

 "Calendar of Marian Gorman," and the " Martyrology of Donegal," at April 11: — " Aedh 

 of Echaradh" (p. 101). 



R. I. A. PROC. VOL. IX. X 



