Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB09/06/024 G

Address :
Tower, Springhill Springhill Road Moneymore Magherafelt Co Londonderry

Townland:
Ballindrum

---

Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
01/10/1975 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Folly

Former Use
Tower

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
Partially

---

OS Map No:
109/10

IG Ref:
H8700 8247

---

Owner Category

Heritage

Exterior Description And Setting

A circular 2 stage roofless and crenellated tower, stone built with brick trim. The tower has a segmental brick arched opening on the S E side and centrally over a large pointed brick arched opening which is repeated on SW, NW and SE aspects. Walls externally built of random rubble stonework and finished on top with crenellations. The structure is on the SE axis from the main house where the main stair window gazes up on the beech walk to the tower. Formerly the walk was lined with mature beech trees but many were blown down in early 1960 and have been replaced roughly from the Ha-Ha to the Tower. Around the tower is a considerable number of mature trees and new planting with gate access to adjoining fields. A stone bearing the date 1731 can be seen on the north side of the tower. Good view of house from tower.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

The tower is not marked on the 1722 demesne maps. There is a plaque bearing the date 1731 on the tower and one may assume that this belongs to this strcuture and not another building. It has been claimed that this building served as a windmill, but there is no supporting evidence for this. Furthermore, there are no indications of any assocated structures, which one may excepct if it served as a mill and no obvious access for commercial traffic. The tower stands at the end of the Beech Avenue (first planted c.1700) and it seems highly probably that it was built only as an eye-catcher from the outset. The Gothick elements of the tower are unkilely to pre-date the 1790s, when the tower probably served as a banqueting house and a look out tower. References Primary Sources 1. O.S. Map 1832 Londonderry sh. 46 2. Notes, 1st Survey, E.H.S. Hill Street, Belfast 3. U.J.A. 3rd Series Vol. 1 (1938) p. 81-83 4. National Turst Guide to Springhill. 1990. 5. Map of Springhill, 1722

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An impressive late 18th cent. folly in the Gothick style adapted from an earlier tower. Forms part of an exciting vista viewed from the staircase window of the house.

General Comments

This building was recorded under HB09/06/030 in the first survey.

Date of Survey

18 November 2000