Drumbo Round Tower

Lisburn, United Kingdom

Drumbo Round Tower lies within the grounds of the local Presbyterian church. Historically the tower was attached to a medieval parish church and monastery, the foundations of which can be seen in the modern day graveyard on the site.

The tower dates from around the early medieval period and is a scheduled historic monument. The original structure was severely damaged when the site was plundered by Connor, son of Artgal McLochlin in 1130.

The site of the Drumbo round tower and medieval monastery is one of the oldest religious foundations in Ireland. In the life of Saint Patrick, which is contained in the Book of Armagh, the name Drumbo signifies 'the long hill of the cow,' which was translated into Collum Bovis, a name by which the ancient church was known. The round tower was originally built here to take advantage of the panoramic views over the Lagan Valley. At the time of the tower's construction, these views would have been useful in spotting incoming Viking raids.

The tower survives to a height of 10.7 metres. It is 5 metres in diameter, with an internal diameter of 2.75 metres. The wall is about 1.2 metres thick. The entrance in the east is 1.5 metres above ground level and is 1.68 metres high and about 0.56 metres wide. Inside there are beam holes indicating that the internal floors were of timber and there are six surviving levels including the basement.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 5th century AD
Category: Religious sites in United Kingdom

Rating

5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

jeremy trimble (6 years ago)
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Château du Lude

The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.