Abernethy Round Tower - Perth & Kinross, Scotland
Posted by: creg-ny-baa
N 56° 19.980 W 003° 18.701
30V E 480728 N 6243186
Historic Scotland marker plaque next to the 74 foot tall, 11th century round tower in the centre of the large village of Abernethy.
Waymark Code: WM170A1
Location: Northern Scotland, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/12/2022
Views: 0
Abernethy is a large village situated some six miles south-east of the Scottish city of Perth. It is dominated by the 74 foot tall round tower in the centre of the village, thought to have been built by the monks of Abernethy in the 11th century.
The Irish-style tower is one of only two in Scotland, the other being at Brechin Cathedral, and was used in the past as a bell tower and refuge. It stands at the entrance of the south-west corner of St Brides Kirkyard and just to the right is a plaque put up by Historic Scotland who the tower is now in the care of. It reads as follows:
'THIS TOWER AND THE SIMILAR TOWER AT BRECHIN, IN ANGUS ARE THE ONLY TWO ROUND TOWERS OF THE IRISH CELTIC TYPE IN SCOTLAND.
HERE THE ROMANESQUE WINDOWS OF THE BELFRY SUGGEST THAT THE TOWER WAS BUILT IN THE LATER 11TH CENTURY.
LONG BEFORE THIS ABERNETHY WAS IMPORTANT AS A PRINCIPAL SEAT OF THE PICTISH KINGDOM AND THE SEAT OF A CELTIC BISHOPRIC. MALCOME CANMORE AND WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR MET AT ABERNETHY IN 1072 POSSIBLY HERE.'