Excerpt from Did the Norsemen Erect the Newport Round Tower
A few writers have imagined that the structure was plastered on the outside; however, this is difficult to ascertain, as for many years the walls were covered with ivy, causing the sides to be damp, and thus the particles of plastering, if any had been put on, must have fallen off. This ivy was removed by order of the city authorities about the year 1879. In 1835 Dr. Webb made an examination of the pillars and found that these were set into the ground about four feet, which would make the foundation walls safe for a structure of this kind. Others believe that the building may have been much higher, but this contention is not borne out by the facts. It was, no doubt, covered with a wooden roof, and there may have been several wooden floors, making the tower to correspond to the old round towers still found in Water ford, Ireland, and other places.
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