above the sea. The group of buildings is enclosed on the seaward side by a cashel wall of dry-built masonry,1 which runs along the edge of the precipice. On the landward side they are enclosed by the rock which rises behind them, and against which they were partially built. No wilder or more

[]

Fig. 29.-Ground-plan of the group of structures on Skellig Mhichel. Scale, 40 feet to 1 inch nearly. (From Lord Dunraven's Notes on Irish Architecture.) inaccessible situation can well be conceived. The landingplace is a narrow cove where the vertical cliffs rise to the full height of the island. The path of access leads first by a series of zigzags to a point in the cliff about 120 feet above the level of the sea, from which a succession of 670 steps

1 The masonry of this wall, says Miss Stokes, is beautiful, and worthy of the builders of Staigue Fort, whose work it strongly resembles. There is the same curve or batter in the outline of the wall, the stones are laid as headers, and fixed in horizontal layers, although they follow the batter. It is astonishing to conceive the courage and skill of the builders of this wall, placed as it is on the very edge of the precipice at a vast height above the sea, with no possible standing ground outside from which they could have worked, yet the face is as perfect as that of Staigue Fort.-Dunraven's Notes on Irish Architecture, edited by Miss Stokes, vol. i. p. 31.

2 Notwithstanding its remoteness and inaccessibility this island has been the scene of annual pilgrimages for many centuries, and the service of "The Way of the Cross" is still celebrated here with traditional forms and customs now only existing among the islanders of the west coast of Ireland. G

either the form or character of a Christian church, however early or however rude.

The rudest and earliest of those that have survived the lapse of time possesses so few of the features which we are now accustomed to associate with buildings of an ecclesiastical character, that it is necessary for the observer to divest himself of all preconceived notions on the subject, and to approach their investigation in the spirit of pure scientific inquiry. The basis of the investigation is founded on the historical fact that the constitution of the early Scotic Church was monastic. Hence the rath which surrounded the place of worship also enclosed the dwellings of the family of ecclesiastics. These dwellings, like the rath, were not necessarily affected either in form or style by the change of faith of their occupants; and they continued to be constructed after the ancient native manner. If, therefore, we find in Scotland a church or churches thus associated with a group of dwellings constructed in the ancient native manner, we are warranted in concluding that a group of Christian remains of an earlier type than this is not likely to be discovered.

I therefore proceed to describe in the first place four different groups of early ecclesiastical remains in Ireland possessing this typical character. I have selected these chiefly for the reason that we have no such complete or characteristic groups in Scotland.

The first group is situated on Skellig Mhichel, or St. Michael's Rock, a small but lofty island lying about twelve miles off the coast of Kerry. The rock is divided into two peaks not unlike the Rock of Dumbarton, and the monastic settlement occupies a kind of oblong platform measuring about 180 feet in length by from 80 feet to 100 feet in widt which is situated on the summit of the lower peelto the edge of the cliff, which is here.

above the sea. The group of buildings is enclosed on thes seaward side by a cashel wall of dry-built masonry, which runs along the edge of the precipice. On the landwar id they are enclosed by the rock which rises behind them, w) against which they were partially built No wider on mens

Teaming

inaccessible sitation can veil be orare

place is a narrow cove where the retical lith the to let
height of the island. The path of essa
series of zigzags to a point in the diff det 4 WE
the level of the sea from which a screw : f

1 The masonry of this wall are in tube. the builders of Staigne Fort, vinse wet

same curve or batter in the outline of the and fixed in horizont

leads up to the settlement. As it now exists (Fig. 29) it consists of five circular beehive cells of dry-built masonry, associated with two rectangular structures also of dry-built masonry, and one rectangular building of larger size, part of which is dry-built, and part constructed with lime cement.

The largest of the beehive cells (Fig. 30) is almost circular in form externally, but contains a rectangular chamber 15 feet by 12 on the ground-plan. Its walls are 6 feet 6 inches thick. They rise vertically for 7 or 8 feet, after which they converge internally all round, each stone projecting farther inwards than the one below it, until at the height of 16 feet 6 inches the rudely domical or beehive-shaped roof is

finished by a small circular aperture which might be covered by a single stone. The doorway is 3 feet 10 inches high, with inclining instead of perpendicular sides,' and the passage which leads straight through the thickness of the wall is about 2 feet wide. Over the doorway is a small aperture like a window, and above it is a cross formed by the insertion in the wall of six quartz boulders, whose whiteness is in strong contrast to the dark slaty stone of the building. Three square recesses or ambries are formed in the interior of the wall. The second cell is better built, and of larger stones, some of which look as if they had been dressed to the curve. The walls are about 4 feet thick, the inside face smooth and vertical for 6 feet. Above this the stones overlap to form the dome-shaped roof, which is finished by a flag about 4 feet square at a height of 10 feet 6 inches above the floor. The doorway is constructed with inclining instead of perpendicular sides, and covered by a lintel 7 feet in length. The third cell resembles the second, and both differ from the first in being constructed of larger stones, and having no step-like stones projecting from their external surface. The general features of the other cells are so similar that they need not be described. Associated with these beehive cells there are two other structures also built of unhewn and uncemented stones. They differ from these cells, however, in form, being rectangular externally as well as internally on the groundplan. The first is a quadrangular building with walls nearly perpendicular up to a height of 8 feet, above which it passes into the form of an oval dome, finished by flags laid across. The walls are 4 feet 8 inches thick. The doorway, which is

1 It has also the peculiarity of being slightly lower and wider internally than externally. Its measurements, as given by Miss Stokes, are externally 4 feet 8 inches high, 2 feet 6 inches wide at bottom, and 2 feet 2 inches at top; internally 3 feet 10 inches high, 2 feet 9 inches wide at bottom, and 2 feet 5 inches at top. There is another small window facing the west (opposite the doorway) 15 inches wide and 12 inches high, with projecting jamb-stones.