SCRABO TOWER, SCRABO HILL, NEWTOWNARDS, CO.DOWN, NORTHERN IRELAND.
THE TOWER WAS BUILT BY LOCAL PEOPLE AS A MONUMENT TO CHARLES WILLIAM STEWART, 3RD MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRY. THE MARQUIS WAS A LOCAL LANDOWNER AND NOBLEMAN WITH A DISTINGUISHED MILITARY AND DIPLOMATIC CAREER. HE WAS LIEUTENANT COLONEL OF THE LIGHT DRAGOONS AND FOUGHT IN 25 MAJOR BATTLES, EARNING THE NICKNAME THE 'FIGHTING MARQUIS'. HE WAS ALSO ADJUTANT GENERAL TO THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON, DURING THE NAPOLEONIC WARS, BEFORE BECOMING DIPLOMAT AS ENVOY EXTRAORDINARY IN PRUSSIA AND AMBASSADOR IN AUSTRIA.
FOLLOWING HIS DEATH IN 1854, A MEETING WAS ORGANISED TO DISCUSS HOW THE MARQUIS SHOULD BE COMMEMORATED. THE MEETING, HELD IN THE NEWTOWNARDS RECTORY, AGREED ON THE DESIRABILITY OF BUILDING A MONUMENT, BUT OPINIONS AS TO ITS LOCATION DIFFERED, WITH ONE FACTION FAVOURING SCRABO HILL AND ANOTHER FAVOURING CONWAY SQUARE, NEWTOWNARDS. THE ISSUE WAS EVENTUALLY RESOLVED IN FAVOUR OF SCRABO WHEN A SECOND MEETING WAS HELD IN THE IMPERIAL HOTEL, BELFAST IN 1855. 
SCRABO TOWER ALSO KNOWN AS THE (LONDONDERRY MONUMENT) WAS ERECTED IN 1857. THE TURRETED TOWER BUILT ON A SITE 540 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL AND IS 125 FEET (41 METRES) HIGH ON TOP OF SCRABO HILL. THE WALLS ARE OVER A METRE THICK AND THE ENTIRE BUILDING IS CONSTRUCTED OF STONE FROM SCRABO HILL. THE WALLS ARE OF THE DARK DOLERITE ROCK, WHICH FORMS THE SUMMIT OF THE HILL, WHILE THE ROOF, STAIRS, QUOINS AND WINDOW DRESSINGS ARE OF SCRABO SANDSTONE.

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