Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/75

Rh or corbels at regular distances, as if for brackets to support a timber roof. They are perfectly plain, and do not seem to have been cut into their present form.

The central tower, which is square, and has a large square staircase turret at the south-western angle, is of very rough masonry, and chiefly built with the stone of the island; but with dressings of old red sand-stone, of which there is a quarry at no great distance. The annexed cut representing part of the turret, will give a fair idea of the masonry of the whole. The belfry windows are of the rudest construction, being formed simply by four oblong pieces of sand-stone, and these not very carefully shaped. On each face of the tower there is, besides the usual belfry window, another opening near one of the angles, and at a lower level.

In England, where the tower of a church is often the most ornamented part, we do not very frequently meet with the plain rectangular belfry window. But in Scotland and Ireland this feature is more common. The tower was there probably used as a place of security, and consequently partook of a castellated character, and had its openings few, simple, and unadorned. In New Abbey in Galloway, a large and carefully finished church of the thirteenth century, the tower has plain square-headed windows. They also occur in the abbey of Pluscardine, near Elgin, though in this instance they are surrounded by a curious string or moulding.

The parapet to the central tower of St. German's cathedral is so much mutilated that we cannot clearly ascertain the original finish; though it is probable it had plain battlements like those of the transepts. Nor has the tower itself such architectural features as to fix its date with any certainty.