For the second conclusion, namely, that they were intended to serve the double purpose of belfries and keeps, or castles, for the uses already specified : 1. Their architectural construction, as will appear, mi. nently thvours this conclusion. 2. A variety of passages, extracted from our annals, and other authentic documents, will prove that they were constantly applied to both these purposes.
For the third conclusion, namely, that they may also have been occasionally used as beacons and wateh-towers : 1. There are some historical evidences which render such an hypothesis extremely probable. 2. The necessity which must have existed in early Christian times for such beacons and watch-towers, and the perfect fitness of the round towers to answer such purposes, will strongly support this con clusion.
These conclusions, or at least such of them as presume the towers to have had a Christian origin, and to have served the purpose of a belfry, will be further corroborated by the uniform and concurrent tradition of the country, and by authentic evidences relating to the erection of several of the towers, with the names and eras of their founders.
A description of one or two of these towers will assist in giving an idea of their varieties and general character. That at Monasterboice, near Drogheda, is 110 feet high and 17 in diameter; the thickness of the wall is 3 feet 6 inches. The ancient church, which is close to it, is now in ruins. In the churchyard are two very old and curious crosses; one about 18 feet high, covered with sculpture, is called St. Boyne's cross, and is esteemed the most ancient religious relic in Ire land. The round tower at Drumisken, in Louth, is 130 feet high; and that of Kildare 133 feet high and 18 in diameter. The walls of the latter are 34- feet thick, and are built of fine white granite, to about 12 feet from the ground.
Of the two round towers in Scotland, that at Breehin consists of sixty regular courses of hewn stone, of a brighter colour than the adjoining church; it is 85 feet high to the cornice, whence rises a low pointed roof of stone, with win dows, and a vane at the top. The other tower at Abernethy is 75 feet high, and like that of Brechin, is about 48 feet in external circumference. On the front of the tower at Bre
chin two arches, one within the other, in relief. On the point of the outermost is a crucifix, and between both, towards the middle, are figures of the Virgin Mary and St. Jolm, the latter holding a cup with a lamb. The outer arch is adorned with knobs, and within both is a small slit or loop; at the bottom of the outer arch are two beasts, conchant, one of them, by its proboscis, is evidently.intended for an elephant.
There are some few round towers in France, which some antiquaries are inclined to think similar in origin and employment. The French, however, are unlike the Irish towers. Those of the former are of various figures, prin cipally octagonal, and of moderate heights. The tower of Quineville, called Cheminim de Quineville, is one of these. It is situated within eight leagues of Cherbourg, is hollow throughout, having neither stairs nor floors. It consists of a base, circular within, and 17 feet high, constructed in that style called by the Romans opus reticulatuni ; above this is placed a cylindrical column 111 feet in height and 20 feet in circumference. The external face is ornamented with Corin thian and Tuscan pilasters supporting an entablature, above which rises a dome, roofed in the form of a truncated cone. Some think that it has served as a pharos, others as a belfry. But it is neither within view of the sea, nor near to any church. There are, however, in France, isolated towers in the vicinity of churches. They belong to the middle ages. In the cemetery of the Innocents' at Paris, is one of an octa gon form, surmounted by a dome ; it is 44 feet in height and 12 feet in diameter. At Mouthran, near Martignon, is an other octagon, 35 feet high and 16 in diameter. The door is 8 feet from the ground. In the cloister of the Monastery des Dames, at Fontevrault, is an ancient tower 76 feet in height and 20 feet in diameter. For our own part, we are not of opinion that these towers, or at least all of them, are of the same origin as those in Ireland.