Telegraph — Dalkey Commons

Situated on an area of level terrain along the ridgeline of the SW-NE running Dalkey Hill c. 100m NE of the summit, and c. 950m W of the tip of Sorrento Point (OD c. 131m). A large disused granite quarry is located adjacent to the N with steep slopes leading down to the coastline (c. 325m) to the SE. The immediate area is now situated in wooded parkland that is surrounded by suburban development further to the E, W and N. The site occupies a commanding position with panoramic views in all directions. The adjacent signal station in the signal station\tower chain were located at Ballygannon, Wicklow (WI013-145----), located c. 17.1kms to the SSE, now demolished, and at Pigeon House Fort (DU019-038001-), located c. 9.6kms to the NE, where the signal crew were accommodated at existing building(s) to site. The site of this signal station\tower at Dalkey Hill is located c. 670m S of Dalkey Castle\Goat’s Castle (DU023-023010-) with a church site (DU023-023002-) located adjacent to the W, and c. 1.35kms W of a Martello tower, contemporaneous with the signal station\tower on Dalkey Hill, which is located offshore to the W side of Dalkey Island. An early nineteenth-century (c. 1804-5) two-storey (over partial basement?) square-plan signal station\tower (ext. dims. c. 5.85m NE-SW x c. 5.85m NW-SE), built with roughly coursed and random rubble stone masonry (with frequent squared granite blocks located close to the corners). Flush squared granite block-and-start quoins to the corners; slight batter to base. The signal station\tower has been heavily modified but retains much of its original form. The walls of the signal tower face NW, NE, SE and SW. The signal station\tower on Dalkey Hill appears to have been constructed to a different design than the standard form seen at the majority of signal station\towers built around the Irish coastline; this may be the result of extensive later alterations and modifications. There is a square-headed doorway located to the centre of the SW elevation at ground floor level, which is probably a later alteration. Above is a central square-headed doorway at first floor level that is now blocked with red brick infill; this is probably the originally doorway to site; brick block-and-start surround to this doorway indicates that the lower portions of this doorway were infilled with rubble stone masonry at some stage. Above this doorway are a pair of loop hole-type vertical slots, defined by yellow brick surrounds, that flank a plaque reading ‘REPAIRED BY ..ERT WARREN AD MDCCCLI’ [Robert Warren? 1851; a Robert Warren was responsible for the construction of the steeped pyramid ‘folly’ at Dalkey Hill that was erected in 1852]. These vertical slots are located where a machicolation is normally found at signal station\tower sites (over main doorway) but it is unclear if any was ever built at this site. The SE elevation features central square-headed window openings at both ground floor and first floor levels; both of these are infilled\blocked with brick. The NW elevation features a central square-headed window opening at first floor level; now also infilled\blocked with brick. A tall rubble granite chimneystack with brick coping rises above the rear (NW elevation); this chimneystack is built against the rear elevation and has a pronounced chimneybreast extending outwards from the face of the structure; the chimney flue at most signal station\tower sites is contained within the rear wall (usually in a slight central bulge), which suggest that this is a later modification. A section of rubble stone walling adjacent to the SE side of the chimneystack at roof level may be a fragment of the original parapet wall. There are no bartizans to the corners of the rear elevation as is found at most contemporary signal station\tower sites. A large single-storey\two-storey addition adjoins to the NE elevation, added c. 1850-60 (possibly related to the 1851 ‘repairs’ noted to the plaque to the SE elevation: see above). This addition is constructed of rubble stone masonry and has a stepped brick parapet over. There are square-headed window openings to the SE, NE and NW elevations, now infilled with brick. This addition is not depicted on the Ordnance Survey first ed. six-inch map, surveyed 1843, but is shown on the Ordnance Survey six-inch map, surveyed 1871-5, indicating it was added sometime during the mid-nineteenth century (possibly in 1851 as the plaque suggests). The signal station\tower was used by the main contractor at the adjacent quarry site for storage purposes, and was later apparently in use as a residence. The signal station is set within an irregular enclosure (ext. dims max c. 20m NW-SE x. ext. dims max c. 30m SW-NE) defined by a rubble stone boundary wall with the ragged edge of the quarry works forming the NW end. The current form of the enclosure is depicted on the Ordnance Survey second ed. six-inch map, surveyed 1871-5. The Ordnance Survey first ed. six-inch map, surveyed 1843, suggests that the NE part of the current enclosure is an addition, and that the original enclosure was smaller in scale. 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 Malin Head in Donegal to Dublin Bay. It was abandoned by the mid-1810s when the treat of a French invasion diminished (Kerrigan 1995, 157-66). Compiled by: Stuart Rathbone Images by: Gary Dempsey Uploaded on: 10/10/22 Images: DU023-072----.01 SE elevation DU023-072----.02 SW Elevation