Round tower

The National Monuments Service's description

Within SW quadrant of graveyard (14549). No visible surface trace of tower 'which stood 30 yards from the S.W. angle of the church, and fell, in the memory of several people' (Smith 1750, vol. 1, 346). According to Moore (1889, 225), 'this tower appears to have remained intact until the year 1720, when a violent storm overthrew the greater portion of it, leaving only a fragment 15 feet in height standing'. In 1807 base of tower, then reduced to ground level, removed to furnish stones for building of nearby glebe house (since demolished) (Brady 1863, 70). Tower seen to be resting on square foundation, at one corner of which was fragment of large stone, inscribed with three rows of letters: 'letters H, U, and O could be distinguished. A letter shaped like P was repeated more than once, as also C or G' (ibid.).
Moore (1889, 225) suggests that stones from round tower were 'built into the south-west angle of the wall surrounding the ruin and burial-ground, and are placed very near the ancient site of the tower...judging both by their shape and colour...they are twelve in number'. External SW corner of graveyard (14549) is rounded, built of large squared well-coursed stones of sandstone. Brigown described as having an ecclesiastical tower and a church when attacked and plundered by Norsemen in the year 839 (ibid., 222). The Crichad an Chaoille (Power 1932, 31, 52) mentions that Brigown had its own 'aistre', a minor ecclesiastical officer responsible for bell-ringing. (Barrow 1979, 71)

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 4: North Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2000). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009