What is recorded here

Mausoleum is a four-storey folly tower on a hillock in County Cork, built around 1840 by Charles Beamish beside his house at Delacour Villa. Though local legend claims it was a mausoleum for three wives, Beamish had only one wife and she outlived him, suggesting the tower was simply an eccentric landmark rather than a burial place. The square structure stands on the site of a former church graveyard, yet no human remains or memorials appear inside its bare earthen floor.

On top of a hillock, with commanding view in all directions; 4-storey tower built in graveyard and on site of former parish church of Dunisky (CO083-013001-). Square tower (int.: 3.75m N-S; 3.75m E-W) with prominent clasped buttress on each corner (see photograph Fitzgerald 1930, opp. 87). Ground floor ope in W wall gives access to interior; no trace of burials on earthen floor inside nor are any memorials evident. No internal floors or stairs survive. Floors above ground floor have central window in each wall and small corner fireplace. Roof survives: flat slabs resting on metal framework. Built by Charles Beamish, who lived in nearby Delacour Villa and died in 1867 (Beamish 1950, 11); McCarthy (1977, 227) notes local legend that Beamish built tower as mausoleum 'for his three wives', but he had only one wife and she outlived him (Beamish ibid., 119). Likely therefore that Charles Beamish, a noted 'eccentric' (ibid., 11), built tower as a folly beside his house. Tower not mentioned by Lewis (1837, vol. 1, 582), but shown on 1842 OS 6-inch map and termed 'mausoleum'; therefore probably erected c. 1840. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 3: Mid Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload/revision: 14 January 2009

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