Spire of Lloyd facts for kids
The Spire of Lloyd is a famous tower located in Kells, a town in Ireland. It was built a long time ago, in the 18th century. This unique structure is a type of building called a "folly." A folly is a building made mostly for decoration, not for living in or for a practical purpose like a house.
The Spire of Lloyd looks like a tall, grand pillar, similar to the ancient Greek Doric style of columns. At the very top, it has a special glass section that looks like a lantern. Because of its height and the lantern, some people even call it "Ireland's only inland lighthouse," even though it's far from the sea! A famous architect named Henry Aaron Baker designed this amazing tower. It's believed that a wealthy person named Thomas Taylour, 1st Earl of Bective had it built to remember his father.
What is the Spire of Lloyd?
The Spire of Lloyd stands proudly on the Hill of Lloyd. Even though it's about 40 kilometers (25 miles) away from the coast, it's quite tall, reaching about 30 meters (100 feet) into the sky. On a clear day, if you climb to the top, you can see far across the countryside. You might even spot the Mourne Mountains in County Down, which is in Northern Ireland!
In the 1800s, this tower was a great spot for people to watch exciting events like horse races and hunting parties. Imagine looking down from the top, seeing all the action unfold below!
Who Built the Spire?
There's a special plaque on the tower that tells us about the people who helped create it. It says that Henry Aaron Baker designed the pillar. The stone cutting was done by Mr. Joseph Beck, and Owen Cabe was the head mason (a skilled builder who works with stone). Mr. Bartle Reilly was the overseer, making sure everything was built correctly. All this work was completed in the year 1791.
The Park and Its History
The area around the Spire of Lloyd has been turned into a lovely community park. It's a place where local people can relax and enjoy nature.
Inside the park, there's a special place called a paupers' grave. This is a burial site for people who were very poor and couldn't afford a private grave. Every year, a special Mass (a religious service) is held here to remember the people who suffered during the Great Famine. This was a very difficult time in Ireland's history when many people faced hunger and hardship.
