Along with the citizens of Waterford, this priory funded the construction of the towers and walls in this part of the city.

[2] During the Cromwellian siege of 1649, this tower and sections of the city wall were pounded with cannon fire.

The tower was not built for this type of defence, so it required bolstering by half-filling with earth to take the impact of the cannon.

[4] Parts of the parapet in the section of the city wall to the southeast of the tower have survived to this day.

However, at the northwest end, the original stepped crenellations can still be seen rising upwards to abut onto the tower.