The round tower at Glendalough, Ireland, is approximately thirty metres tall

A round tower was primarily a bell tower, or belfry, as the Irish form of the name cloictheach clearly indicates, and as was proved by George Petrie as long ago as 1845 and never seriously challenged since. A common misconception is that they were used as a place of both refuge and storage, but their strong likeness to chimneys is not merely visual, and they would have been exceptionally poor places in which to take refuge. Generally built in the vicinity of a church or monastery, the door of the round tower was usually aligned with the west doorway of the main church. In this way it is often possible to determine without excavation the rough site of lost churches, where the tower still exists. Round towers are not to be confused with the round-tower churches in England. Download high resolution version (400x699, 40 KB)Round tower at Glendalough, Ireland. ... Download high resolution version (400x699, 40 KB)Round tower at Glendalough, Ireland. ... Ancient church at Glendalough monastic site Glendalough is a village located at the site of an ancient monastery located in County Wicklow, Ireland. ... George Petrie (1790 – 1866), was an Irish painter, antiquary and archaeologist of the Victorian era. ... A church building (or simply church) is a building used in Christian worship. ... A monastery is the habitation of monks, derived from the Greek word for a hermits cell. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Travel guide to England from Wikitravel English language English law English (people) List of monarchs of England – Kings of England family tree List of English people Angeln (region in northern Germany, presumably the origin of the Angles for whom England is named) UK...

Round towers are mostly found in Ireland and Scotland, where they were built, probably between the 9th and 12th centuries. There are many theories as to why they were built, and it was sometimes thought they were used as a means of defence against raiders, such as Vikings. For example, after a lookout posted at the top of the tower had spotted a Viking longboat, the local population would enter the tower for safety, using a ladder which would be raised from within. The problems with this theory are that the distance from the ground to the doorway is always greater than that from the first floor to the second — thus any wooden ladder would not fit in through the door after the ascent of the refugees. The possibility that rope ladders were used cannot altogether be ruled out, but it seems far more likely that solid wooden structures were built outside the towers, and postholes found in excavations in the 1990s confirm this. The towers were also used to store religious relics, and other plunderables. The towers are also thought to have been used to call people to prayer (as a minaret is) through the ringing of its bells. Transport in Scotland Timeline of Scottish history Caledonia List of not fully sovereign nations Subdivisions of Scotland National parks (Scotland) Traditional music of Scotland Flower of Scotland Wars of Scottish Independence National Trust for Scotland Historic houses in Scotland Castles in Scotland Museums in Scotland Abbeys and priories in Scotland... This earthenware dish was made in 9th century Iraq. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... The name Viking is a borrowed word from the native Scandinavian term for the Norse warriors who raided the coasts of Scandinavia, the British Isles, and other parts of Europe from the late 8th century to the 11th century. ... A longboat is a large boat powered by multiple oars and carried on a ship (especially sailed merchant ships). ... The 1990s refers to the years 1990 to 1999; the last decade of the 20th Century, but in an economical sense The Nineties is often considered to span from the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 to the September 11 attacks in 2001. ... Some of the Roman Catholics relics are two thousands years old A view inside the shrine of Saint Boniface of Dokkum in the hermit-church of Warfhuizen. ... Minarets (Arabic manara منارة, but more usually مئذنة, and Urdu minra pl. ...

The towers range in height from 60 to 132 feet, that at Kilmacduagh being the highest in Ireland. The masonry differs according to date, the earliest examples being uncut rubble, while the later ones are of neatly joined stone work. The lower portion is solid masonry with a single door raised six to twenty feet above, accessible only by a ladder. Within are two or more floors, usually of wood, with ladders in between. The windows, which were high up, were slits in the stone. The roof is of stone, usually conical in shape, and some of the towers are now crowned by a later circle of battlements. Kilmacduagh is a small village in south County Galway, near Gort. ...

In Ireland about 120 examples are thought once to have existed; most are in ruins but about eighteen or twenty are almost perfect.

Round tower in Antrim

A famous example of a round tower is at Devenish Island, on Lough Erne, in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. There is also a well-known Irish tower at Glendalough, a popular tourist destination. A round tower exists at Clondalkin. The best example of a round tower in Scotland is at Brechin, in the grounds of the cathedral. Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... Devenish Island is to be found in Lower Lough Erne north of Enniskillen, Co. ... Categories: Ireland-related stubs | Irish loughs ... County Fermanagh (Fear Manach in Irish) is often referred to as Northern Irelands Lake District. ... Royal motto: Quis separabit (Latin: Who will separate?) Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area  - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 4th 1,685,267 122/km² NUTS 1... Ancient church at Glendalough monastic site Glendalough is a village located at the site of an ancient monastery located in County Wicklow, Ireland. ... Clondalkin (Cluain Dolcáin meaning Dolcans meadow in Irish) is a town/suburb and parish 10km west of Dublin City in the Republic of Ireland, situated in South County Dublin. ... Transport in Scotland Timeline of Scottish history Caledonia List of not fully sovereign nations Subdivisions of Scotland National parks (Scotland) Traditional music of Scotland Flower of Scotland Wars of Scottish Independence National Trust for Scotland Historic houses in Scotland Castles in Scotland Museums in Scotland Abbeys and priories in Scotland... Brechin is a burgh in Angus, Scotland. ...

Round towers wider and lower than those in Ireland have been built throughout Europe.

The round tower at Milford, Massachusetts

During the 6th century, church towers in Ravenna, Italy were usually built round, and not unlike those of Ireland in proportion and style. The best-known example of a round tower is the leaning tower of Pisa, begun in the year 1174. Round towers are also used in Muslim minarets. Image File history File links Milford-irish-tower1. ... Image File history File links Milford-irish-tower1. ... Milford is a town located in Worcester County, Massachusetts. ... This Buddhist stela from China, Northern Wei period, was built in the early 6th century. ... Ravenna is a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. ... The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: Torre pendente di Pisa or simply Torre di Pisa) is the campanile, or bell tower, of the Italian city of Pisas cathedral. ... Events Vietnam is given the official name of Annam by China. ... Minarets (Arabic manara منارة, but more usually مئذنة, and Urdu minra pl. ...

Outside of Europe in modern times, round towers have been built that copy the same architectual style. At Saint Mary Cemetery in Milford, Massachusetts a round tower was built in the late 19th century as a memorial to the Irish immigrants who settled in Central Massachusetts. It is the only such structure in North American that copies the Irish round tower architecture. The rugged design is built from native Milford Granite stands as a vivid reminder of the courage and creativity of the thousands of Irish who are buried there. Milford is a town located in Worcester County, Massachusetts. ...

See also

• Broch
• Pele tower
• Rock of Cashel

Doune Carloway Broch, Lewis, Scotland The Broch is an Iron Age round tower fortification type unique to Scotland. ... Peel towers (spelt Pele towers in England) are small fortified keeps, built along the English and Scottish Borders, intended as watch towers where signal fires could be lit to warn of approaching danger. ... An old view of the Rock of Cashel from the town. ...

External links

• Irish Round Towers — detailed photographic archive of twenty-five Irish round towers.
• The Round Towers of Ireland — article about round towers.

References

• Brian Lalor (1999), The Irish Round Tower: Origins and Architecture Explored, ISBN 1898256640
• Roger Stalley (2000), Irish Round Towers, ISBN 1860591140
• This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain.