The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-12-09
THE ROCK OF CASTIEL, IN IRE
LAND,

THE ROCK OF CAsHEL, IN IRE
LAND.
This extraordinary object has lately became
the subject of increased curiosity, IN cohse-
qucnce of some improvements MADE IN the
interior of the old cathedral by Archdeacon
| Cotton. Iron doors have been placed TO Inc
entrances leading to the upper parts OF this
ancient building. A door has been put on
one of the back entrances, the wall III part,
and tile tombs have been carefully repaired,
| In sinking the floor to the depth OF about
4 three feet, the bases of the columns have
| been exposed to view these are Ill state OF
preservation, and exhibit an extraordinary
! freshness of appearance. In clearing away
the floor, three Hat stones OF equal dlmcn-
sions, being each about five feet long, one
foot ten inches high, and four inches thick,
have been discovcrcd.-On one OF these there
are seven sculpturcd human figures, each a.
bout IA inches high, and six inches broad !;
over these figures are the name OF ST. Catha-
rine (some supposed tho names to be Mar
tha) ST. James, St. Thomas, St. Thomas the
less, St. Andrew, st. John, and st. Peter; all
these arc represented with books in their left
hands except St. John, in whose right hand
there is the figure ola chalice, out of which
with wings like those of bat, is creeping.
Four of these figures have crooks in their
1 right hands. st. Peter holds large key.
On another of these stones St. Bridget.
J with a bool. and cross. St. Thaddeus,
With five loaves in his hands; st. Baftholo-
new, St. Mathew, with an axe in his hand !;
st. Simon the Canaanite, with boat; ST. Ma
thias with sword, and st. Stephen; and on
! the third stone are st. Michael and ST.
| Patrick with mitre. The drapery of
these figures consists OF {. large outer gar
ment and an inside one somewhat like a pct
ticoat, the former resembling the Greciln
palliom, forms broad and simple masses to
the side and front, with a few gold and dis
tinct folds, straight in soms, and zigzag in
others in the front. The garments afford
4 a breadth Of light and shadow to the mass,
and the folds variety Of form that renders
the figures very pleasing. The hair has
been chissclcd with wonderful minutencss
and accuracy. Indeed all the minutin OF
their dress, c'c. are finished with del;cacy
and cxactnes, which, considering the inn
practibiltyof the stone are most admirable.
/ Several broken and mutilatcd figures were
also dug up and many human scull bones
were discovered, and what is remarkable,
some covered only with a hin coat of earth
ltTgc atOnc IeStl Ill lWO
a half feet broad at oac end, and two feet at
the other end, and one foot ten inches in
depth, quite followed, except about fourin-
ches for a bottom, with various figures and
devices on its front side; it has been either
the outer shell Of a coffin, or foot for bap-
tizing-and perhaps for bapt;2ing by INNER
sion. The stone is usually called grit stone,
1 Doctor Gotten dc ,ccndcd into one Of the
! tombs, and discovered a communication be-
tween eome of them passage from one in
to another. A hole III the floor has heretofore
been shown as the entrance into subterran-
can passage which extended about half amile
beyond the town in north rcst direction
4 This hole the Doctor caused to be opened
and found the passage did mot extend beyond
the wall Of the cathedral, a distance of six
feet Should Archdeacon Cotton (wlose
absence has been for the prcsentthe cause OF
suspending the labors of the workmcn) per-
severe is his cxcrtions, there is no doubt but
that several curious and instructive monil-
lnents Of antiquity will be discovered i, and il
is likely, that some memorials of our history
and the history of this very ancient building
will be brought to light One great benefit
Immediately resulting from these research
cs, is the employment of a number of laboul-
ers, ana of those who were in the most want
Of it, at this period C2omei HeraW.