Turnly'S Tower, Cushendall, Co.Antrim

Turnly's Tower (also known as the Curfew Tower) is a detached, single-bay, five-storey tapered rubblestone tower built in 1809 by Francis Turnly, the proprietor of the village of Cushendall. The architect is unknown. The tower stands at the very centre of the village on a prominent corner site at the main crossroads, at the junction of Mill Street, High Street, Shore Street and Bridge Street. It is square on plan, facing southeast, and is listed along with its boundary walls and drinking fountain.

Origins and Historical Background

Francis Turnly had travelled to China in 1796, where he accumulated a fortune of around £75,000. In 1801 he returned to Ireland and used this money to purchase the estate of Newtownglens from the Richardson family at a cost of £24,000. He subsequently renamed the settlement Cushendall. Described by the architectural historian C. E. B. Brett as an eccentric character who "effected extraordinary improvements in buildings and roads on his property," Turnly built the tower ostensibly as a prison for idlers and rioters. In practice, however, it was seldom used as a place of confinement.

The tower is said to be modelled on a Chinese tower, reflecting Turnly's travels in the Far East. The Ordnance Survey Memoirs of 1830–38 describe it as "a curious square building… 20 feet square at the base, but inclines a little as it rises. It is 40 feet high and consists of 4 storeys [one storey being invisible externally], each of which has a projecting window on each side, which from the construction (having loopholes at the bottom) are calculated for defence. It is not at all ornamental in its structure and is said to have been built after the model of some Chinese tower." Turnly's Tower was constructed using locally quarried Devonian Sandstone (Cross Slieve Group), with basalt used as a secondary material.

Turnly took the defence of the tower seriously. He appointed Dan McBride, an army pensioner, as its guard, and left instructions that the building be constantly provisioned for a year and permanently garrisoned by one man armed with a musket, a bayonet, a case of pistols, and a pike. The building also served as the village's bell tower — the curfew bell was rung at 9pm every night until the 1940s — and as a principal water supply. A reservoir on the tower's east side was fed by a rock spring located a quarter of a mile away.

Occupation and Use

The Townland Valuations of 1834 set the tower's rateable value at £3 and 10 shillings, at which time the valuer noted it was occupied by a Mr Bernard Murphy, though he remarked it was "unsuitable for a dwelling and only one small room in the same storey." The tower's rateable value remained at £3 and 10 shillings until the 1930s. Murphy continued to occupy the tower until 1865, after which it fell vacant. By 1875 it was occupied by Mr John Douglas, who remained until 1891, when local shoemaker John Stewart moved in. The 1911 Census Building Return described the tower as a second-class dwelling with four rooms, its only outbuildings being a fowl house and shed. The Stewart family continued in occupation until 1962, when the tower reverted to the Turnly estate.

Ordnance Survey town plans of 1903 and 1932 show the tower in its current square-shaped layout, and record that it possessed a small return or outbuilding to the rear yard, which was later replaced during the 1992–93 restoration. Under the First General Revaluation of Property in Northern Ireland (1936–57), the tower's rateable value was raised to £5, where it remained through the Second General Revaluation (1956–72).

In 1972 the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society described the tower as "a truly remarkable romantic building, providing at once the pivot and focus for the central crossing of the town. On each of its four faces there are projecting windows, with a murder-hole in the base of the lowest. In the base of the east wall is inset a modest fountain capped by Mr. Turnly's initials. The doorway is narrow and round-headed; the door itself is most medieval, sheathed in iron with knobs on it." Turnly's Tower was included in the Cushendall Conservation Area in 1975 — only the second conservation area in the province to be designated at that time — and the village was chosen that same year as one of Northern Ireland's four pilot schemes for conservation during the European Architectural Heritage Year. The tower was formally listed in 1976.

Exterior Description

The tower is built of red sandstone rubble walling with flush tooled red sandstone quoins and lime pointing. It tapers as it rises, and the lead-lined roof is concealed behind a castellated parapet wall. A string course marks the base of the parapet. Shallow oriel windows with replacement 6-over-6 and 3-over-3 sliding timber sash windows project from all four elevations.

The northeast elevation, fronting onto High Street, has central oriel windows to the second, third and fourth floors with flush relieving arches. At ground floor level is a water fountain, or piscina, comprising a flush red and yellow sandstone ashlar pointed arch. The keystone bears an inscribed monogram of Francis Turnly's initials. The arch is supported on squat columns rising from a water basin, which is itself supported on two corbels.

The southeast elevation, fronting onto Mill Street, follows the same arrangement. At ground floor level is a central square-headed door opening set within a round-headed voussoired arch, with a timber plank door covered in iron and fitted with iron studs. The door opens onto two red sandstone steps and is accompanied by a small overlight.

The southwest elevation matches the others but has no openings at ground floor level.

The northwest elevation is abutted by the single-storey rear wing added during the 1992–93 restoration. It has an off-centre oriel window to the second floor and central oriel windows to the third and fourth floors. A diminutive square-headed window opening at first floor level is fitted with an iron grille.

The single-storey rear wing is built in red sandstone rubble with a hipped natural slate roof with lead ridges. It has timber sash windows and a vertically-sheeted timber door to the southwest elevation, which now serves as the principal entrance.

Restoration

An extensive restoration was carried out by the Hearth Revolving Fund in 1992–93. This included the installation of a new lead roof, replacement of the floors, restoration of the staircase, repointing of the stonework, and construction of the single-storey kitchen extension to the rear using stone salvaged from the former outbuildings. The original curfew bell had gone missing by the 1990s; Hearth installed a replacement bell donated by a London fire station.

Since 1999 the tower has been used as an artists' residency, operated by the trust known as "In You We Trust." It plays a central role in local cultural life, including the Turnly Prize and the Glens Festival.

Setting

The tower occupies a commanding position at the main crossroads at the centre of Cushendall. To the rear is a small sloping enclosed garden with a tall rubblestone wall with stacked coping and a pedestrian iron gate set within a voussoired arch opening onto High Street. A tall rubblestone wall with stacked coping also encloses the site to Mill Street. A telephone kiosk is located against the High Street boundary wall of the tower.