Cushendall owes its early development to Francis Turnly who is said to have made a fortune with the East India Company in China. This company traded in India, The East Indies and China. Tea from China was in great demand and in 1800 twenty million pounds of tea was exported to Britain. Tea was a luxury but ledgers from Owen McAuley’s shop in Waterfoot, dated 1881 show that most families bought tea on a regular basis despite a cost in today’s value of 17 pounds (£) per pound weight as against 5 pounds (£) today. It is easy to see how a fortune could be made. The other very desirable products from China were silk and porcelain.
In 1809 he purchased two estates, Cushendall and Drumnasole near Garron Tower. He seems to have immediately commenced building the Curfew Tower of red sandstone, provided a permanent guard armed with a pike a musket and weapons of the time and provisions supposedly to last a year. It is 20 square feet at the base and 40 feet tall. It has four stories and has projecting windows for defense. The purpose was possibly to deter or detain miscreants or maybe a folly based on towers he had seen in China.
It has always been the focal point of the village and is presently a private residence owned by Bill Drummond. It is occasionally used by Artists who come to stay in the village.
This post is part of the What’s That? Project. Funded by The Community Arts, Culture and Heritage Fund & The Community Foundation for NI. The aim of the project is to highlight local historical sites and give people a short history of what is there. Photos by John Healy.
