Signal Tower (1841-2) — Ballymackean

Situated towards the S end of a low hill to the N of the Old Head of Kinsale c. 250m N of the ‘narrow’ neck of the Old Head of Kinsale, and c. 1.9kms NNW\N of the tip of the Old Head Peninsula (OD c. 90m). Situated on an area of level ground with steep slopes to the E, S and W. Located c. 134m W of the coastline of Heleopen Bay and c. 275m E of the coastline at Hopeopen Bay West. The surrounding landscape to N consists of large arable fields, defined by liner field boundaries, with short areas of rough unenclosed pastureland located between this site and the coastline to the SW and E\SE. The area around the signal station\tower site has been landscaped as part of the renovation of the site to create a visitor attraction. The adjacent stations in the signal station\tower chain are found at Ballymacedmond, Seven Heads (CO145-008----), which is located c. 13.1kms to the WSW, where the signal station\tower survives in relatively good condition, and at Barry’s Head (SMR CO113-032----), which was located c. 13.7kms to the NE, now demolished. This signal station\tower site at the Old Head of Kinsale is situated c. 240m N of a tower house (CO137-009001-), with associated defensive features, located at the ‘neck’ of the peninsula, and c. 1.85kms NNW\N of the lighthouse (NIAH Reg. No. 20913710) located close to the of the peninsula. An early-nineteenth-century (c. 1804-5) two-storey over partial raised basement square-plan signal station\tower (ext. dims. c. 5.8m NW-SE x c. 5.8m NE-SW; int. dims c. 4.27m NW-SE x 4.25m NE-SW; wall T c. 0.9m), originally built with roughly coursed rubble stone masonry. The exterior has recently been weather-slated as part of extensive renovations; the exterior was originally lime rendered and weather-slated. The signal tower is positioned with its walls facing NE, SE, SW and NW. The main square-headed doorway is located to the centre of the SE elevation at first floor level; this would have been originally accessed via a retractable ladder. The doorway is protected by a rectangular machicolation over supported by three corbels. There are pairs of square-headed window openings to the NE and SW elevations at ground and first floor level; these now contain modern fittings. The NW wall bows out slightly across its whole width to house the internal chimney flue. Rebuilt corner bartizans are located to the N and W corners, each supported by three corbels. Kerrigan established that the signal tower and signal mast had been erected by 1805 (Kerrigan 1995, 277). The signal tower has recently been recently restored (c. 2015) to an approximation of its original condition and converted into a modern visitor attraction. Modern steel and concrete staircases have been added both internally and externally to improve access etc., modern glazed porch added to ground floor entrance, and a covered entrance now protrudes at roof level to allow access to the roof and parapet wall. A freestanding cut stone trigonometry pillar is located to the NW of the signal tower. A replica signal mast has been erected to the SE of the tower, in the centre of an elaborate circular garden of remembrance that commemorates the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 off the Old Head of Kinsale. Hamilton’s 1806 map shows the signal station\tower was located in the centre of a rectangular-plan enclosure (ext. dims. c. 70m NW-SE x c. 52.5m SW-NE) with a semi-circular ‘bulge’ to the SE end. The signal mast was originally sites to the centre of this oval element. The enclosure is shown with the same plan-form on the Ordnance Survey first ed. (surveyed 1841-2), second ed. (surveyed 1897-1904) and third ed. (surveyed 1927-37) six-inch maps. Only the SE and SW boundaries of this enclosure survived prior to the recent restoration work, mostly as a grassed-over earthen bank. A new wall has been constructed around the S part of the enclosure, following the original boundary line, which encloses the modern garden of remembrance. A small rectangular-plan structure is indicated a short distance to the NW of the main structure on the Ordnance Survey twenty-five inch map of the site, c. 1901, now no longer extant. 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 nineteenth 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). References: Kerrigan, P. M. 1995. Castles and Fortifications in Ireland 1485-1945. Cork. The Collins Press. Derived from: Rathbone, S. 2020. ‘The Construction, Survival and use of Signal Defensible Guard Houses in Connacht and Ulster’; unpublished PhD Thesis, Institute of Technology, Sligo. Primary Supervisor: Dr James Bonsall. Compiled by: Stuart Rathbone Uploaded on: 23/09/22 Images: CO137-008----.01 SE elevation CO137-008----.02 SW elevation CO137-008----.03 NE elevation CO137-008----.04 NW elevation CO137-008----.05 View of corner bartizan CO137-008----.06 View of corner bartizan from roof CO137-008----.07 View of modern signal mast to SE