Fergusson, James: A history of architecture in all countries, from the earliest times to the present day: in five volumes (Band 2) (London, 1893)

448

ARCHITECTUEE OF IRELAND.

Pakt 11.

the west, opposite to the altar. The chapel at Cashel is, however, an
exception, since it has both a north and a south entrance. That on the
north is the principal, and very richly ornamented. The same is the

soo.

Cormac’s Chapel, Cashel.

case at Ardmore, where the whole of the west end is taken up by a
bas-relief rudely representing scenes from the Bible, and the entrance
is on the north side of the nave. On these principal entrances all the

resources of art were brought
to bear, the windows generally
being very small, and appar-
ently never glazed. There is
a doorway at Freshford in
Kilkenny, and another at
Aghadoe near Killarney, which
for elegance of detail will bear
comparison with anything in
England or on the Continent of
the same age.

One of tlie peculiarities of
these churches is, that they
were nearly all designed to
have stone roofs, no wood being
used in their construction. The
annexed section (Woodcut No.
901) of the old church at Killaloe, belonging probably to the lOth
century, will explain how this was generally managed. The nave was
roofed with a tunnel-vault of the ordinary form ; over this is a
chamber formed by a pointed arch, and on the outside of these two,

Section of Chapel, Killaloe.