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Martello Tower, on site of Mote

Castle, motte

What is recorded here

Martello Tower stands on the buried motte of Howth, where Almoric founded the local line. Beranger sketched the lost mound in 1775, preserving its shape after human activity had smoothed it from ordinary sight. The tower still occupies that chosen place, turning forgotten ground into a visible marker of continuity.
In 1775 Gabriel Beranger made a sketch showing a large flat- topped mound with an outer ring and a fosse (Harbison 1992, 24-5). Thought by Westropp (1922, 63-4) to be the mote-castle of Almoric, founder of the family line of Howth. All that remains is the flat natural spur on which a martello tower stands (DU016-020002-). Compiled by: Geraldine Stout Updated by: Christine Baker Date of upload: 29 January 2015
Built by Almoric, founder of the Howth family line, the site was originally a medieval mote castle, later associated with a Martello Tower constructed in the early 19th century for coastal defense. It is important as a historical landmark reflecting both medieval and Napoleonic-era military architecture in Ireland.

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What survives
Recorded monument

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