MILFORD — It may just be the only one of its kind outside of Ireland and it’s right here in Worcester County. Standing more than 73 feet high the Milford Round Tower looks more like the home of Rapunzel rather than the staple piece of a cemetery.
“When you see it, standing nearly 75 feet high, you have to do a double take,” said Mike Quinlin, co-founder of the Boston Irish Tourism Association. “It’s absolutely stunning.”
“I’ve visited a lot of Irish memorials around the state, but the round tower is definitely the most unique in the state, maybe even New England.”
Designed by Father Patrick Cuddihy, the tower was built from pink granite in 1896. That same granite was also used to build both the Boston and New York public libraries, as well as several buildings on the Harvard University campus.
As for his inspiration? Some have argued the design may have come from the Tower of St. Kevin in Glendalough in County Wicklow or the Rock of Cashel in Ireland. Others claim the tower is nearly identical to a structure on Devenish Island.