- This topic is empty.
Carrickmines Tower
-
I am not sure if this is the right name for this, and I have no
idea what it was used for, it is in fairly good repair it has an
arched doorway (no door) and is hollow like a chimney, the
outside has a circular staircase winding its way to the top, a
few treads are missing, anyone know anything about it?
Shutterbug :?
Hmmm maybe the clue was in the name, Carrick……..mines! lol.
my dad used to tell me that they made cannonballs there and they
used to run up the stairs and drop them down the hole to cool them
down (the cannonballs!!) I think he was having a laugh thoThere is nothing else up there to give a clue……fantastic views.
Shutterbug :)
The chimney is about 80 feet high, terminating a flue nearly a mile in length, which is carried up the whole way from the Ballycorus Lead Works in the valley below. A winding flight of stone steps ascends for about two-thirds of the height of the structure. These works were established about ninety years ago, at which time sufficient ore was found on the spot, supplemented by that taken from the company’s mines at Glendalough, to keep a large staff of workmen constantly employed.
extract from http://www.eiretek.org/chapters/books/Neighbourhood/chapter6.html
:cry: So its not for cooling cannonballs?
Thanks for that lesson of the day :lol: It is a very solid
construction, the size of some of the blocks (granite?) enourmous. :shock:Shutterbug :)
Well, if you read on it uses the term ‘Shot Tower’.
This was used to produce perfectly round lead shot balls – as I understand it, a lump of molten lead would be dropped from the top of the tower. On the way down, surface tension would cause it to form a perfect sphere. At the bottom was a vat of cold water, where it landed and solidified in the spherical shape….
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
