Killiney Hill Road Tower
Martello tower located on privte grounds at junction of Killiney Hill Road, County Dublin. Photo taken form the road, provate gates can be seen in foreground. This tower is unusual in that it is located at a distance from the coast, unlike the other towers, which are located quite close to the shore. It is also on quite high ground.
© Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council Public Library ServiceKilliney Hill Road Tower
© Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council Public Library Service
© Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council Public Library Service
Killiney Hill Road Tower
Martello tower located on privte grounds at junction of Killiney Hill Road, County Dublin. Photo taken form the road, provate gates can be seen in foreground. This tower is unusual in that it is located at a distance from the coast, unlike the other towers, which are located quite close to the shore. It is also on quite high ground.
© Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council Public Library ServiceMartello towers are distinctively circular buildings of about 8 metres high and 12 metres in diameter. On average, the walls are approximately 2.4 metres thick.
They are immensely strong and mostly built of solid stone, which is locally-quarried Dalkey granite. Legend relates that the mortar used to hold the granite blocks together was made from a mixture of ground granite, lime, ash, hot wax and ox blood.
Martello tower, Killiney Hill Road
Martello tower located at Killiney Hill Road, Killiney, Co.Dublin. Entrances to towers were located at a height for security purposes. Overhanging the entrance, macicolations with holes in the floor to shoot or drop things on unwanted callers, can clearly be seen in this image. Behind the machicolation was a "murder hole", a square opening in the floor above the entrance, likely to have been used for hoisting ammunition or equipment up to a gun platform.
Martello tower, Killiney Hill Road
Martello tower, Killiney Hill Road
Martello tower located at Killiney Hill Road, Killiney, Co.Dublin. Entrances to towers were located at a height for security purposes. Overhanging the entrance, macicolations with holes in the floor to shoot or drop things on unwanted callers, can clearly be seen in this image. Behind the machicolation was a "murder hole", a square opening in the floor above the entrance, likely to have been used for hoisting ammunition or equipment up to a gun platform.
The original entrances to the martello towers were approximately 3 metres from the ground. Iron, timber or rope ladders were needed to enter them. The ladders could be hauled up after entering a tower to make it difficult for the enemy to gain entry. Later on, after the threat of invasion had passed, entrances were created on the ground floors of the towers.