page_title: Mornington, County Meath
section_title: Maiden Tower and the Lady's Finger
hierarchical_section_title: Mornington, County Meath / Maiden Tower and the Lady's Finger
caption_attribution_description: This is the lady's finger. Its is called this because it appears to be a finger - Mornington, County Meath
context_page_description: Mornington is a coastal village on the estuary of the River Boyne in County Meath, Ireland approximately 5 km downriver from the centre of Drogheda. Together with the neighbouring villages of Laytown and Bettystown it comprises the census town of Laytown-Bettystown-Mornington, with a combined population of 10,889 at the 2011 Census and 11,872 at the 2016 Census. Mornington is part of the wider area collectively known as East Meath.
  The large townland of 1,223 acres is bound on the north by the River Boyne estuary and on the east by the Irish Sea. The townland extends along the seashore to Bettystown village and includes part of that village up to and including The Neptune Hotel. The townland, part of the civil parish of Colpe, touches on other townlands: Betaghstown to the south,
  Colp East and Colp West to the west and Donacarney Great and
  Donacarney Little to the south and west. Stameen lies to the west. Baltray, Beaulieu and Banktown lie across the Boyne.
  Mornington can also refer to a larger area, a half-parish, within the Laytown-Mornington Roman Catholic parish established in 1986, and formerly part of the parish of St. Mary's in Drogheda.
context_section_description: Situated on the south bank at the mouth of the River Boyne are two structures, the Maiden Tower and the Lady's Finger, which served as navigational aids for ships entering the River Boyne prior to the 1765 walls being built. A ship approaching the river mouth would be lined up to safely enter the narrow channel when the view of the Lady's Finger was obscured behind the tower. The view of Maiden-Tower near Drogheda, Co:y Meath by S. Walker show their relationship on 11th June, 1783. Both are listed in the Record of Protected Structures (ID Nos. MH021-124 and MH021-121) in the Meath County Development Plan 2013-2019.
  The Maiden Tower which stands 60 foot high was built during the reign of Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen, who came to the throne in 1558.  It is suggested that it got its name from this association and Sir William R. Wilde in his book "The Beauties of the Boyne ..." (1849) mentions this as a conjecture in his time. The tower was already in existence by 1582 when it was proposed to build at Ringsend a tower of such height and strength as shall be of a perpetual continuance like the tower at Drogheda.  The tower is mentioned in the Charter granted to the town of Drogheda by James 1st in 1609, in reference to the fisheries of the town:- "we give grant and confirm to the Mayor, Sheriffs, Burgesses & Commons…all the water of the Boyne and the fishing and fisheries thence in within and on each side of the same water, from the waters of the franchises…from the west part of Drogheda to the sea beyond the tower called Maidenstower on the east side…”.  In the Down Survey of 1656-58, the tower is indicated as 'Maiden tower' on the county map and as  'Mayden Tower' on the map of Colp parish. In place of the Lady's Finger, both the barony and parish maps show a cross on a stepped plinth. 
  At a General Assembly of Drogheda Corporation on 11th January 1683 it was ordered that "Mr. Mayor cause Maiden Tower to be rough cast (i.e. rendered) at the chardge of the Corporation". In 1775, the Corporation petitioned the Lord Lieutenant regarding "...a tower called maiden Tower...and also one other small tower...which towers are of singular service to mariners who navigate vessels bound to the port of Drogheda...that same were now much out of repair and became less conspicuous, the bright colouring being worn off, that they had lately employed persons to repair said towers, but were obstructed by James Brabazon, tenant to Lord Mornington whose estate is contiguous to said towers". 
  The tower was built as a warning beacon to sailors and marked the mouth of the River Boyne. At the topmost reaches of the tower, one can command an extensive view over land and sea. Access to this parapet is by spiral steps tapering towards the top and through the barrel-vault at the top of the stairs. It is also believed to have acted as a look-out tower during the Elizabethan Wars with Spain (1585–1603) to give advance warning  of approaching enemy ships. Publicly accessible until the mid-1990s, when a metal grill was installed in the raised doorway, the tower was vandalised in 2003 when the metal grill was removed. A solid metal door was subsequently erected by the owners, blocking entry to the tower.
  There are various folk stories about the tower and pillar. One were a faithful lady, awaiting the return of her husband, falls from the tower when an incorrect flag on his returning ship mistakenly signalled his death, echoes the fate of Aegeus the father of Theseus. The lady's finger was then supposedly built by the returned husband in memory of his wife.
  In 1819 a strange old woman, who had lived abroad for many years, took up residence at the top of the tower. She spent her time at her spinning wheel under a makeshift sail roof set up by local fishermen. She developed a reputation as a local hermit, donating her spinning work to the local church and became known simply as the 'lady of the tower' having refused to give her name. In the severe winter of 1821 she had to abandon the tower and died soon after in a charitable institution in Drogheda.
  Beside the
caption: Lady's Finger
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