Signal tower in Ballymacredmond, County Cork

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Freestanding two-stage signal tower, built c.1805, having rubble limestone machicolation to front (south) over rubble limestone corbelled brackets. Remains of limestone rubble bartizans over rubble limestone corbelled brackets to rear (north). Now ruinous. Partially rendered dressed rubble limestone walls having fragmentary sections of slate hanging. Wall to rear partially demolished. Square-headed window openings having limestone sills and dressed limestone voussoirs. Square-headed door opening to upper stage of front elevation, having limestone threshold and dressed limestone voussoirs. Remains of square-headed door opening to ground floor of side (east) elevation, lintel now absent. Located within rural area, having rubble limestone boundary walls to south.

Following the attempted invasion of Ireland by French forces in the later decade of the eighteenth century, a network of signal towers was built along the coast of Ireland which was intended to ensure a fast response to any attempted invasion with messages being transmitted via a ‘ball-and-flag’ semaphore system. This particular example, despite its ruinous condition, retains much of its original character and its imposing presence. Originally the entrances to such structures, located to the upper stage, would have been accessed via a rope ladder.

From the Buildings of Ireland (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) record 20914501

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Garry Dickinson, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
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Eddie O'Hare / Echo Live, www.echolive.ie

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