What is recorded here

Waterloo Tower rose in 1815 beside East Grove House to mark the distant battle, its circular stone body reaching ten metres above the Cork estuary. William Bagwell likely directed the work, perhaps reusing material from the vanished Ballynakilla castle, while a spiral stair carried visitors to a brick-battled parapet for sweeping views. The tower still stands at the edge of Tower wood, preserving a moment when local pride reached across the sea to honour a global conflict.

Overlooking East Ferry and estuary to N, at N perimeter of Tower wood. Circular tower (H c. 10m; diam. c. 5m) built in 1815 to celebrate battle of same name (Dennehy 1990, 63). Lintelled door in S side; spiral stairs give access to parapet with brick battlements. Plaque over door inscribed "Waterloo 1815"; second plaque in memory of William Bagwell, builder of nearby East Grove House, c. 1826. Tower may have been built with stone from Ballynakilla castle which stood in vicinity of house (Healy 1988, 131). Power (1923, 200), citing place-name evidence, notes 'an artifical mound -probably Norman - which stood on summit of Eastgrove Hill'; this is approximate position of tower but now no trace of such a mound. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cork. Volume 2: East and South Cork' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1994). 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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