Mural tower (Historic Town) in Unknown Townland

Harbard's Tower located between Bridge Street Upper and St. Augustine Street standing on the S bank of the River Liffey and 100m N of Gormond's Gate (DU018-020029-). Mural tower described in the Urban Survey of Dublin as; 'There was a distance of 103 yards between Gormond's Gate and this tower. It was two storeys high and the upper storey was vaulted. It was situated at the rear of the Brazen Head in Bridge Street' (Bradley and King 1987, Vol. 1, 50-1). This mural tower on the Dublin city walls (DU018-020001-) was described in 1585 as follows; 'From Gormondes gate [DU018-020029-] to a towre in William Harbardeg pocession is 308 foote [94m] distant. The said towre in Wiliam Harbardes pocession is sqware towre, towe storie hie the loer storie is a timber lofte with three lowps [loops]; the other storie is vawted [vaulted] over with three lowps. The towre is sqware, 16 foote [4.9m] one waye, and 10 foote [3m] another waye, and the wall 5 foote [1.5m] thicke and 32 foote [9.75m] hie. From the towre in William Harbardes pocession to Mr. William Ushers howse [DU018-020013-] is 140 foote [43m] distant, the wall 14 foote [4.3m] hie, and 5 foote [1.5m] thicke, and no rampier within nor buttris withowte' (CARD Vol. 2, 554-5). In that same year the Dublin Assembly Roll recorded a grant to; 'Thomas Chyvers, merchant, shall have a lese for tearme of threskore and one yeares, in reversion, uppon a towre in the backsyde of the howse wherin Mr. James Bellewe, alderman, did dwell in Brydgstret, payeing per annum to the cittie two shillinges, sterling, under suche condicions as shalbe inserted in his lese (CARD Vol. 2, 194). On the 8th of November in 1598 the Civic Regulations for the Defence of Dublin stated that; 'At a meeting this day of the Mayor and aldermen it was resolved, for the more safety of this city, that the several gates shall be shut every night at five of the clock, and the wickets stand open till six, and then the keys to be brought to the Mayor. And, for the better warning to be given to all men to take knowledge hereof, the Mayor is to make proclamation and will all Saint Audoens [DU018-020075-] bells to knoll, to begin half an hour later and hold till six, by which those that have charge of the keys may the better keep their time of bringing the same to the Mayor, etc. It was likewise agreed that twenty-four faithful and sufficient men should be hired by the several wards within the city to watch the walls and gates in the form following, videlicet: at either gate two, whereof one to be placed at the top of the gate, at the castle of the Crane one man; upon the tower in Mr. Stanihursts background [DU018-020006-] one man; upon the tower [DU018-020007-] at Jenevylls Inns, one man; upon the wall betwixt Saint Nicholas gate [DU018-020022-] and New gate [DU018-020377-] in three several places most convenient, three men; uppon the tower in John Cars background, one man; uppon the tower in the Widow Habards background, one man; and the little new tower [DU018-020013-] in Mr. Ushers background, one man; which men, being furnished with armour and weapons, shall begin the watch every night at six, and continue till six in the morning; they shall be visited and searched every night by one sufficient man, to be chosen and agreed upon to be captain of the watch, and he to call them forth at the hour aforesaid, and see them placed in form above mentioned. It is thought also meet and resolved that twenty-four men shall attend every night upon the man that shall be appointed to visit the watch, which shall come by turns upon the inhabitants of the city, and the said captain to visit the watch at the gates and walls every hour lest they should neglect their charge; the standing watch to be [supplied with] shot, and the rounning watch to be [supplied with] shot, and pikes to be furnished by their several wards' (CARD Vol. 3, 527-8). St Augustine St: Formerly located at the rear of the Brazen Head Hotel in Bridge Street and known as Harbard's Tower. It was two storeys high with the upper storey vaulted (H c. 10m, Wall T 1.65m). It was held in 1584 by Thomas Cheyvers; in 1585 by William Harbard; in 1598 by the widow Harbard and in 1605 by Christopher Cosgrave (Healy 1973, 20). Shown on Speeds map 1610 (Clarke 2002, 21). See attached section of Speed's 1610 Map of Dublin City showing Harbard's Tower standing to the N of Gormond's Gate labelled No. 29 and on the S bank of the River Liffey Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 7 July 2023