Signal tower

The National Monuments Service's description

Situated at the edge of an area of flat enclosed pasture, to immediate E, S and SE (c. 32m) of a shingle beach on the E shores of Killala Bay (7m OD). The surrounding area consists of enclosed pasture of linear fields defined by wire fences that are built over collapsed earlier rubble stone field boundary walls. The signal tower site has unobstructed views in all directions. Creevagh Signal Tower (MA007-015002-), located c. 14.8kms to the W\WSW, has been demolished and can no longer be seen from the site. The upper levels of Rathlee Signal Tower (SL011-025001-), located c. 1.7kms to the SSE, are visible from this site. The view to the well-preserved Carrowmably\Carrowmabla Signal Tower (SL012-08003-), located c. 12kms to the ESE, is now obscured by intervening trees. Signal tower located c. 576m NNW of the remains of a probable late medieval church (SL010-024----) and burial ground (SL010-024001-) at Carrowmacbryan.

The remains of an early nineteenth-century (c. 1804-6) two-storey square-plan signal tower. The signal station consists of the low fragmentary remains of the signal tower, built with roughly coursed limestone rubble (int. dims. 4.32 SW-NE x 4.57 NW-SE; wall H. 3.48m). The structure is in poor condition with none of the fragmentary walls surviving above ground floor level. The SE wall has the typical shallow outwards bulge to chimney flue. A chute passes through the SW part of the SE wall, sloping down steeply as it passes through the body of the wall. These features allow for the likely orientation of the signal tower to be determined; the SE wall would have housed the central fireplaces (with chimneystack above parapet level) with the flanking alcoves to the ground and first floor levels, the NW wall would have featured the first floor doorway, and the NE and SW walls would have featured pairs of window openings at ground floor and first floor levels. Internally, the SW wall features a poorly-preserved slot with some joist holes that would have held the timber floor structure at ground floor level. It is possible that the construction of this signal tower was halted during construction, and that the site was changed to nearby Rathlee (SL011-025001-), located to the SE, where a signal tower was then completed (Moore & Robinson 2014, 19).

The remains of a probable lime kiln are located 14.5m W of the signal tower, which was possibly used during the construction of this site. The probable kiln (ext. dims 2.9m E-W x 1.7m N-S) consists of a shallow oval depression filled with loose random rubble stones. A few small sections of intact stonework can be seen around the sides of the kiln. Collapsed rubble stone field walls (Wth c. 1.6m; H. c. 0.3m) connect to the signal tower at its N and S corners. These survive only as grassed-over banks of collapsed rubble stone.

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 15\11\21

Images:
SL010-001002-.01 Oblique view from E
SL010-001002-.02 Oblique view from N
SL010-001002-.03 NE exterior
SL010-001002-.04 NW exterior
SL010-001002-.05 Oblique view
SL010-001002-.06 SE exterior
SL010-001002-.07 SW exterior
SL010-001002-.08 Oblique view from SW
SL010-001002-.09 SW interior
SL010-001002-.10 NW interior
SL010-001002-.11 SE interior
SL010-001002-.12 NE interior
SL010-001002-.13 NW (top) and SW (bottom) exterior drawings
SL010-001002-.14 SE (top) and NE (bottom) exterior drawings
SL010-001002-.15 NW (top) and SW (bottom) Interior Drawings
SL010-001002-.16 SE (top) and NE (bottom) interior drawings
SL010-001002-.17 E Plan of site
SL010-001002-.18 Probable lime kiln to W; view looking NW

References

Moore, S. & Robinson, A. 2014. Heritage sites of historical and political significance along Sligo’s coastline. Heritage Connects Communities: Peace III Project no 50785. Unpublished manuscript.

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.