fifteenth century in such close imitation of the choir of the thirteenth that by ordinary observers no difference is perceived, and yet more close observation shews that the mouldings are entirely of the fifteenth, so in Ireland, in the Friars' churches of the fifteenth, the lancet windows of the thirteenth, or the wide windows divided by mullions and their heads filled with reticulated tracery which in other countries belong to the fourteenth, are both used indiscriminately.

The architecture of a country cannot be properly understood without a knowledge of its history; and this, which may be stated as a general truth, holds nowhere more remarkably true than in Ireland. Its history is that of a country broken and fettered, not allowed to develope its own ideas, but having those of its conquerors pressed as it were into its very life. In early times it was torn in pieces by the quarrels and wars of its own petty chieftains, and these wars made it an easy prey to its equally warlike neighbours. Portions of it were conquered and settled by the hardy sea-kings of the North, the Norwegians and Danes, whom we call Northmen, but who in Ireland were called Ostmen, or Eastmen, because they came there from the East. These, having fully established themselves, became amalgamated with the natives, and have left no buildings of any distinctive character.

But when in after years Ireland committed the fatal mistake of inviting foreigners to interfere in its domestic quarrels, as these foreigners themselves had before done, they, like them, became conquered and subjected to the friends they had invited to assist them. The English brought with them their own manners, their own laws, their own arts. They erected castles to maintain their power, and to keep the natives in check. They founded monasteries and endowed cathedrals in expiation of their crimes and to propitiate the Church, and all these buildings they erected in the style of their own country, modified by having to employ native workmen, and by the nature of the material they had to work on; and in general, buildings of the same style are later in date in Ireland than in England.

Of the buildings belonging to the earlier period of Irish history there are many yet remaining, and some of them may be of very early antiquity; but they have been so mixed up with later work, that much confusion and much virulent controversy has arisen in consequence, which a little careful examination

might have avoided. The fact is, that when it was desirable to enlarge one of the small cells which from tradition and long association had become sacred in the eyes of the people, instead of taking it down, as would now in general be the case, the builders contrived to preserve as much as possible of the old walls, which are frequently enclosed in walls of much later date. This not having been noticed, has been the cause of much misapprehension and dispute, the later work by one party being ascribed to the early date, and by the other the early work to the late date.

All these matters require candid and careful investigation, and it will be the object of the following detached and fragmentary papers to elucidate the truth as far as possible. Bound to no party, advocating no peculiar views, and uninfluenced by any preconceived theories, the object shall be to seek the truth on whichever side it may lie, to bring prominently forward the peculiarities of Irish architecture, and to give it a place among the other national varieties of the great medieval style.

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, DUBLIN.

THE tradition respecting the cathedral of Christ Church is that the Ostmen had an establishment here, and that they built cells or vaults on the site of the present cathedral so early as the time of St. Patrick. The Ostmen had at that time a large settlement on the north bank of the Liffey, and which is still known as Ostmantown, or Osmanton; and it is stated that their chief or king, Sictryg, gave to Donat, or Donagh, the Irish and Danish Bishop of Dublin, the piece of land on which the "arches and vaults" were situate for the purpose of building a church to be dedicated to the Holy Trinity. And for this purpose he endowed it with lands, &c., and contributed gold and silver sufficient for its erection. Donat also, after the completion of the cathedral, built an episcopal palace, and died in 1074, and was buried at the south side of the altar. Of this church only the crypt under the transept remains.

In 1162 Lorcan O'Tuathal, or O'Toole, was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin, and received from the Anglo-Norman Court a full confirmation of all the privileges of the convent, and further grants of land, &c. Soon after he, in conjunction with Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke, better known as "Strongbow," Robert Fitz-Stephen, and Raymond le Gros,

commenced rebuilding the choir, the central tower, and two chapels, one dedicated to St. Edmund and St. Mary, the other to St. Laurence. These were probably in the transepts. Strongbow died and was buried in the cathedral in 1177. Of the church built by O'Toole and Strongbow the transepts still remain.

In 1283 a fire in the town destroyed the tower, the chapterhouse, the cloister, and dormitory of the priory. The citizens immediately commenced a subscription for the restoration of the cathedral, which would no doubt be set about at once, and it is probable that the whole western limb was taken down, and the present nave with the crypt under it begun. A great part of the monastery would have to be rebuilt, and it seems to have been in progress a long time, for we read that in 1303 Friar Henri de Cork was licensed to travel through the kingdom to obtain alms for that purpose. From its having been destroyed by fire it would seem that the bell-tower was of wood; and it seems, likewise, that it was rebuilt of the same material after the fire, for we find that in 1316 a violent storm of wind and rain threw down the steeple of the church. It seems to have remained in this state some years, for in 1331 the Priory, determining to avoid for the future the catastrophes which had twice occurred, obtained from Edward III. a licence to build a "bell-tower of stone." As the piers before this time had only to carry a wooden tower, they would most probably be only slight, but when a stone building was intended, the builders would naturally strengthen the supports; and there can be little doubt that the present solid and massive piers are what were then built. The same idea caused them to build the tower itself in an unusually plain and substantial manner: it has merely a plain turret at each corner, and windows with simple Decorated tracery.

1349-1362, John de Paul, Archbishop of Dublin, erected the chancel with the throne, the great east window, and three other windows on the south side, between the east window and the Archbishop's seat.

In 1541 Henry VIII. changed the Prior and Convent of the cathedral into a Dean and Chapter, and from this time it was known by the name of Christ Church Cathedral, having been formerly that of the Holy Trinity.

1562. The south side of the nave with the vaulted roof fell,

injuring the rest of the nave, and destroying the tomb of Strongbow.

It is singular that one diocese should have two cathedrals in the same city, but this is the case in Dublin. Christ Church, or the Holy Trinity as it was called, was the oldest foundation, but Archbishop Comyn in 1190 built a prebendal church dedicated to St. Patrick, and his successor, Henry de Londres, erected it into a cathedral. The rival establishments seem to have had frequent disputes, but in 1300 they came to a compromise on the following terms: That each church should be styled "Cathedral and Metropolitan;" that the archbishops should be consecrated and enthroned in Christ Church, which being the "Greater Mother and Elder Church" should have the precedence in all rights and concerns of the Church; and that the cross, mitre, and ring of every archbishop whenever he died should be deposited there, and that there should be held public penances, and the consecration of the chrism oil onMaunday Thursday; but that each church should have alternately the interment of the bodies of the archbishops, unless otherwise ordered by their wills.

The exterior of Christ Church is uninteresting in the ex

It has been so modernized, and the ancient features so mixed up with recent alterations, that it has lost almost all appearance of antiquity; but the interior, though sadly mutilated and barbarously "restored," has still much to interest, and would amply repay a most careful examination.

α

a Tower-arch.

Sections, Christ Church Cathedral.

b Capital of Tower-arch. c Base.

d Arch in South Transept.

The transept where we enter, is of late or transition Norman,

with round and pointed arches used indiscriminately.

The

triforium and clerestory are perfect, but walled up. The section of the mouldings approaches a good deal to Early English, and there are some rather singular capitals.

The tower-arches are pointed, very plain, and massive, the section being merely a chamfer twice recessed. The piers are of the same section, of great thickness and strength, and the capitals and bases remarkably plain and clumsy. These are most probably the arches of the bell-tower for which a licence was granted by Edward III., 1325. This plain, clumsy work is very different from what we should expect in England, but is not at all out of place at this date in Ireland. Capitals equally plain and heavy occur at St. Audoën's, at Killmallock, and at Askeaton in buildings of this date or later, and the extreme solidity of the piers may be accounted for by the builders having to provide for the support of a stone building where before there had been one only of wood.

The nave-that is, the north side of it-is particularly beau

tiful. It is pure and good Early English, though not early in the style. The piers are clustered, but the shafts are not detached, and are triply filleted. The archmoulds have the bold rounds and deep hollows which are characteristic of Early English, but not of Irish work, and they are throughout filleted. This, with a peculiarity in the neck-moulds and bands, would give a date rather late in the thirteenth century, and it was probably rebuilt after the fire in 1283,

as large subscriptions were made for that purpose. The capitals are particularly elegant and graceful. They are composed of