Trafalgar Monument, Carrignamuck

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Trafalgar Monument

County Cork

Type: Tower
Location
Location: 51°55’47"N, 8°46’1"W
Village: Carrignamuck
History
Built c. 1820
Tower
Information
Condition: Ruined
Owned by: Private

The Trafalgar Monument is an ornamental tower (or folly) in Carrignamuck townland, County Cork, a mile and a half north of Coachford village. It was built by Nicholas Colthurst, who served during the Napoleonic Wars, and was a midshipman aboard HMS Prince during the Battle of Trafalgar.[1] Colthurst continued to serve in the Royal Navy until 1841, retiring with the rank of Commander.[2]

This tower is depicted as a rectangular structure in the 1841 and 1901 surveyed OS maps. The Irish Tourist Association survey of 1944 describes it as a plain, ivy-covered, rectangular structure, which once appeared to have a stone roof. It goes on to state that it was erected by 'Capt. Colthurst of the British Navy' to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.[3]

The Archaeological Inventory of County Cork describes it as a mid/late nineteenth century roofless square tower, one storey in height, with a high parapet wall, located on a man-made mound, and overlooking both the Dripsey River and Clonmoyle House. The tower is said to contain tall stone-arched windows and a fireplace. Local information erroneously asserts that it was built to commemorate the death of a Colthurst at the Battle of Trafalgar.[4]

The National Inventory of Architectural Heritage describes it as a ruinous square-plan folly tower, built c.1820, with rubble stone walls and an ogee-headed opening to each elevation. An entry also erroneously states that it was built by the Colthurst family to commemorate the death of a family member at the Battle of Trafalgar.[5]

The tower is not accessible to the public and is located on private property.

See also

Outside links

References

  1. "The National Archives". http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res?_q=ADM%2036%2F16274. 
  2. Greene, Anthony (Dec 1991). "The Church of Ireland in Magourney Parish". Coachford Record 2. 
  3. Murphy, C (1944). I.T.A. topographical and general survey. Irish Tourist Association. 
  4. Denis Power (1997). Archaeological Inventory of County Cork, volume 3. Dublin: Stationery Office. 
  5. "National Inventory of Architectural Heritage". http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/niah/search.jsp?type=record&county=CO&regno=20906109.