Signal tower

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated on a large low hill in the NE of the Belmullet Peninsula (132m OD). Located on ground that slopes down gently towards the W, before reaching a small valley that runs down the S side of the hill. The surrounding area consists of unenclosed blanket bog. The signal tower has unobstructed views in all directions. The largely upstanding signal tower at Tarmon Hill (MA024-031----), Glash, Tóin na hOlltaí, located c. 20.18 kms to the SW at the SW corner of the Belmullet Peninsula, is visible in good weather. The remains of the signal tower at Benwee Head (MA004-025----), located c 11.3 kms to the NE, is now largely collapsed\demolished and cannot be seen from this site.

A nineteenth-century (c. 1806) two-storey square-plan signal tower, built with roughly coursed rubble stone masonry (int. dims. c. 4.25m NE-SW x c. 4.25m NW-SE; wall H c. 1.52m). The signal tower has collapsed and only a portion of the lower courses of the ground floor level remains insitu. The walls face NW, NE, SE and SW. The remains of the signal tower are surrounded by a significant spread of rubble stone suggesting a collapse(s). The rubble also fills the interior obscuring any internal details. An intact rounded bartizan with a conical base is visible within the rubble adjacent to the W corner of the signal tower.

The signal tower is located in the SE part of a rectangular enclosure (ext. dims. c. 55m NW-SE x 29m NE-SW) defined by a narrow roughly coursed rubble stone wall (Wth < 1.0m) that has largely collapsed; a limited short section of the NW side of the enclosure wall survives to a H of c. 1.5m. Along the NE side of the enclosure there is a slight shallow external ditch. The ground inside the enclosure slopes gently down towards to the NW, and a level platform has been cut into the slope at upper SE end, beyond the signal tower.

A rectangular two-roomed building (int. dims. 8.4m NE-SW x 3.7m NW-SE) is located in the W corner of the enclosure. The building is defined by collapsed and partially grassed over rubble stone walls. Each room has an external entrance on the SE wall. The foundations are likely the remains of a storage building used during the occupation of the signal tower. An infilled pit is located roughly 11m NW of the signal tower, on the long axis of the enclosure. It is a slight oval hollow 1.9m in length, with a cluster of large rocks in the centre. The pit may be an infilled lime kiln or an infilled socket for a signal mast.

The signal tower was part of a system of over 80 signal stations constructed by the British Board of Ordnance in the first decade of the 19th century to warn of the approach of a French invasion fleet. Signalling between sites was accomplished using a naval signal post. The system formed a continuous chain from Dublin Bay running clockwise all the way around the coast to Malin Head in County Donegal. It was abandoned by the mid-1810s when the threat of a French invasion diminished (Kerrigan 1995, 157-66).

Compiled by: Stuart Rathbone

Uploaded on: 02/02/22

Images:
MA010-042----.01 NW elevation, Looking SW
MA010-042----.02 NW elevation, Looking SE
MA010-042----.03 SE elevation, Looking NW
MA010-042----.04 SE elevation, Looking NE
MA010-042----.05 Remains of collapsed bartizan, Looking NE
MA010-042----.06 Remains of collapsed bartizan, Looking SE
MA010-042----.07 Plan of site
MA010-042----.08 NW elevation of enclosure wall, Looking NW
MA010-042----.09 NW elevation of enclosure wall, Looking SW
MA010-042----.10 NE elevation of enclosure wall, Looking SE
MA010-042----.11 Remains of building to the W corner of enclosure, Looking SW
MA010-042----.12 Remains of building to the W corner of enclosure, Looking NW
MA010-042----.13 Infilled feature to NW of site of signal tower

References

Rathbone, S. 2020. ‘The Construction, Survival and use of Signal Defensible Guard Houses in Connacht and Ulster’; unpublished PhD Thesis, Institute of Technology, Sligo

Kerrigan P.M. 1995 Castles and fortifications in Ireland 1485-1945. Cork. The Collins Press.