Ardpatrick Round Tower

Situated on the summit of Ardpatrick with commanding views of the surrounding countryside, accessed from a road to W known locally as the Rian Bó Phádraig (LI056-002002-). Hilltop monastery reputedly founded by St. Patrick and renamed Ardpatrick, hilltop formerly known as Tulach na Feinne [Hill of the Fianna] (Westropp 1922, 78). The poorly preserved remains of Ardpatrick round tower (H c. 3m; base diam. c. 5.3m) lie c. 7m W of the graveyard wall with church ruins (LI056-002008-) 14m to SE, surrounded by a field system with large ecclesiastical enclosure (LI056-002006-) associated with a monastery founded by St. Patrick. St Patrick’s Well (LI056-002007-) lies 35m to S. Ardpatrick church ruins depicted on the 17th century Down Survey map of Ballingaddy parish where it is shown standing beside a tower which is presumably the remains of the round tower in Ardpatrick (NLI, MS 718). The terrier of the Down Survey parish map recorded that in ‘Ardpatrick are the walls of a Church & a Watchtower’ (ibid.). Folklore collected from Ardpatrick National School recorded the following details about Ardpatrick Hill; ‘On the hill here stand the remains of an abbey with small church [LI056-002003-] attached & close to both are the remains of a round tower. St Patrick is said to have approached the hill from the west passing through the neighbouring parish of Effin. A trace of the old road was pointed out to me by an old man & referred to by some others. He called the old road 'Rian bo Padraig' [LI056-002002-]. I some years ago pointed this out to a surveyor from the Ordnance Survey Office & it is now marked on the Ordnance map. It runs up the hill from the west & its line can still be plainly seen. [Informant] Heard this from his father & from 'all the old people‘ (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0509, Page 201; https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922041/4921283).

Monument described in 1866 as; ‘On delving into the stump of the round tower, after clearing away the fallen stones and rubbish that choked the upper part of the structure, the delvers came upon a bed of earth, which extended down for some feet. This, according as it was shovelled out, they examined, but it presented nothing particular beyond a piece of coarse amber, weighing about a quarter of pound, a small piece of metal sconce, some fragments of mortar, and a piece of brass. What its use or purpose there is no telling, but the strangest things found were a number of oyster shells. Of five silver bells, said to have belonged to the monastery, long missing, three were found in the ruins of the tower, and carried away by the excavators. The workmanship, i.e. stone dressing, etc., of this tower is excellent. They constructed the wall by facing it internally and externally with cut stone, and filling up the space between with rubble, whilst that of the neighbouring church is very rude’ (Lenihan 1866, 720-1). Westropp (1898, 304) described the round tower as following; ‘Ardpatrick; h. 8 feet [2.4m]. Stump. In its base were found oyster shells, fragments of metal, and lump of amber, and it is said three bells. Local name, "Cluice".

In 1906 the following details were recorded; 'A short distance to the west of the church [LI056-002008-] there is a stump of a round tower, which must have been one of the finest in Ireland in its day, judging from the site. There is also a well [LI056-002007-] near the tower said to be forty feet [12.2m] in depth and lined with stones, but now closed up' (Begley 1906, 95-6). Round tower described by Crawford (1908) as standing ‘outside the graveyard wall [LI056-002009-], north-west of the church [LI056-002008-], is reduced to a mere stump, 9 feet [2.7m] high, and 17 feet 6 inches [5.3m] in diameter. It is remarkable for the regularity of its masonry, and must, when complete, have been a fine building. The walls, 4 feet [1.2m] thick, are built of large squared stones in courses'.

Remains of tower described by Lalor (1999, 179) as; ‘Ardpatrick is among the slightest of tower remains. Nine courses stand on the north, dropping away to ground level on the southern side; the entire circumference is visible. Much masonry debris has accumulated around the base of the tower. The masonry, of well-cut horizontal courses with vertical joints, suggests a late tower of fine quality, of which both external and internal surfaces are extant. Lime mortar is visible in the exposed joints. No architectural features survive, nor is a base offset visible, although this may be concealed by the accumulated debris around the base. A fine stone wall, some of the stones of which look suspiciously as if they might have been cannibalised from the early buildings, encloses the older portion of the graveyard [LI056-002009-]’.