Helen's Tower
Encyclopedia
Helen's Tower lies in the woods of the Clandeboye Estate
in Bangor, Northern Ireland
. The tower was commissioned by Lord Dufferin
of Clandeboye, designed by Scottish architect William Burn
and completed in October 1861. The tower was named in honour of Dufferin's mother, Helen Selina Blackwood
, the Lady Dufferin.
A close replica of Helen's Tower, the Ulster Tower
, was built at Thiepval
in 1921 to honour the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division
who fell at the Battle of the Somme. Clandeboye Estate was used for army training by the 36th (Ulster) Division during the First World War.
At least two poems have been written with Helen's Tower as the subject; one by Alfred Lord Tennyson and the other by Robert Browning
. A verse from Tennyson's poem, "Helen's Tower" is reproduced below:
Helen's Tower, here I stand,
Dominant over sea and land.
Son’s love built me, and I hold
Mother’s love in letter’d gold.
Love is in and out of time,
I am mortal stone and lime.
Would my granite girth were strong
As either love, to last as long
I should wear my crown entire
To and thro’ the Doomsday fire,
And be found of angel eyes
In earth’s recurring Paradise.
Clandeboye Estate
The Clandeboye Estate is a country estate located in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, outside Belfast. Covering , it contains woodlands, formal and walled gardens, lawns, a lake, and of farmland...
in Bangor, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The tower was commissioned by Lord Dufferin
Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava
Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava, KP, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, PC was a British public servant and prominent member of Victorian society...
of Clandeboye, designed by Scottish architect William Burn
William Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
and completed in October 1861. The tower was named in honour of Dufferin's mother, Helen Selina Blackwood
Helen Blackwood, Baroness Dufferin and Claneboye
Helen Selina Blackwood, Baroness Dufferin and Claneboye, later Helen Selina Hay, Countess of Gifford, born Helen Selina Sheridan, , was a British song-writer, composer, poet, and author...
, the Lady Dufferin.
A close replica of Helen's Tower, the Ulster Tower
Ulster Tower Thiepval
The Ulster Tower is a memorial to the men of the 36th Division. The memorial was officially opened on November 19, 1921 and is a very close copy of Helen's Tower which stands in the grounds of the Clandeboye Estate, near Bangor, County Down in Northern Ireland...
, was built at Thiepval
Thiepval
The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme is a major war memorial to 72,191 missing British and South African men who died in the Battles of the Somme of the First World War between 1915 and 1918 who have no known grave...
in 1921 to honour the men of the 36th (Ulster) Division
British 36th (Ulster) Division
The 36th Division was a division of Lord Kitchener's New Army formed in September 1914. Originally called the Ulster Division, it was made up of members of the Ulster Volunteer Force, who formed thirteen additional battalions for three existing regiments: the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the Royal Irish...
who fell at the Battle of the Somme. Clandeboye Estate was used for army training by the 36th (Ulster) Division during the First World War.
At least two poems have been written with Helen's Tower as the subject; one by Alfred Lord Tennyson and the other by Robert Browning
Robert Browning
Robert Browning was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse, especially dramatic monologues, made him one of the foremost Victorian poets.-Early years:...
. A verse from Tennyson's poem, "Helen's Tower" is reproduced below:
Helen's Tower, here I stand,
Dominant over sea and land.
Son’s love built me, and I hold
Mother’s love in letter’d gold.
Love is in and out of time,
I am mortal stone and lime.
Would my granite girth were strong
As either love, to last as long
I should wear my crown entire
To and thro’ the Doomsday fire,
And be found of angel eyes
In earth’s recurring Paradise.
Further reading
- Helen's Tower by Browning
- Helen's Tower by Tennyson
- Helen's Bay, Helen's Tower and Lord Dufferin's papers