Round tower

The National Monuments Service's description

National Monument No. 53. In the NW corner of a graveyard (KE066-016002-), c. 18.7m from the NW corner of the church (KE066-016001-). The base of a circular tower (SW elevation H c. 5.5m; int. diam. at base c. 2.28m; T c. 1.4m; c. 16.5m) consisting of rectangular sandstones bonded with lime and sand mortar. Stones of different sizes were used in its construction: the larger more uniform stones are well-coursed; the smaller stones are uncoursed. Hitchcock (1854) states that the stones were brought from some distance as none are to be found in the local neighbourhood. According to Allen (1892, 166), when Dr. Petrie first saw the tower it was 'more than twenty feet [6.09m] high, and had a doorway twelve feet [3.65m] above the ground'. The 'Proceedings' of J.R.S.A.I. in 1890 record that 'many of the blocks...which formed part of the outer facing of the wall have been abstracted, and used as headstones in the cemetery adjoining'. O'Donovan (1841) states that it is called by both the 'Bishop's Chair'/Cathair An Easpuig - as Aghadoe is a Bishop's See - and as the 'Pulpit' - because it was used by officiating clergy to address the congregation. According to Barrington (1999, 202), the building of the round tower began in 1027.

Round tower described by Lalor (1999, 155) as follows; 'Without the valuable record of Lord Dunraven's photograph (c. 1875), it would be difficult to form any impression of the true appearance of the tower [H 5.5m; base diam. 4.6m]. Originally, it was constructed of irregularly coursed and joggled red sandstone blocks, well worked and trimmed to the curve. All other facing stonework (the majority of which is now visible), must be considered modern intrusions. The surviving masonry here exhibits a characteristic manner common to many towers, where the horizontality of the courses is not maintained and they tend to sag noticeably. Around the eleventh course of the squared ashlars from the ground the horizontal plane has been lost by the masons, but recovered in the courses above. The graveyard wall undercuts the north face of the tower.

Compiled by: Elizabeth Byrne, Ursula Egan and Sheila Ronan, Archaeological Survey Unit, University College, Cork.

Revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 9 May 2022

References

O'Donovan, J. 1983 The antiquities of the county of Kerry. Cork. Royal Carbery Books.

Allen, J. Romilly 1892 Notes on the antiquities in Co. Kerry visited by the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland and the Cambrian Archaeological Association, August 1891, Parts 1 and 2. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 22, 158-70; 255-84.

Lalor, B. 1999 The Irish round tower. Wilton, Cork. Collins Press.

Hitchcock, R. 1854 Kerry papers: notes on the round towers. Proceedings of the Kilkenny and Southeast of Ireland Archaeological Society, 1-4.

Barrington, T.J. 1976 (new edition 1999) Discovering Kerry. Cork. The Collins Press.

Dunraven, E. the Earl of 1875 Notes on Irish Architecture, 2 vols. London. George Bell and Sons.