Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Round tower
Kildare, County Kildare, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Kildare
- County
- Kildare
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Round Tower
- Latest-edition OS map
- Round Tower
- Coordinates
- 53.15817, -6.91225
- SMR number
- KD022-029020-
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
In the NW sector of a graveyard (KD022-029003-), c. 30m NW of St. Brigid's Cathedral (KD022-029020-). According to Bradley et al. (1986 Vol 3, 222), the base and lower courses of the tower are built of evenly coursed granite blocks, with roughly coursed limestone blocks above (H. 32.6m; diam. 5.3m). There are seven floors; five supported on corbels, with the third and sixth on offsets. The red sandstone Romanesque doorway faces SE (H. above ground level 4.6m), and is of four orders (the outermost order is modern) with a gable above. The ornament includes chevrons, rosettes and foliation. There are narrow pointed splayed windows on the second, third, fourth and fifth floors, and five windows, each partially blocked at the base, on the top floor. Battlements were added in the 18th century. (Fitzgerald 1891-5, 76, 86-91; De Paor 1967, 137; Barrow 1979, 118-122)
Compiled by: Gearóid Conroy
Date of upload: 24 January 2012
Nearby in the register
- Buildingunder 1 mi
- Ecclesiastical enclosureunder 1 mi
- Graveyardunder 1 mi
- Cross - High crossunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.