Newport Tower

The Newport Tower is roughly a 28 x 24 foot circular tower, sitting upon eight arched pillars. The name Newport Tower comes from the city of Newport, Rhode Island, where the tower is located. Records indicate that the tower was once used as a windmill, however there is some credible debate on whether or not the tower was built before its use as a mill. Although no one is certainly sure where the tower came from or who built it, most credible Archaeologists trace it back to the 17th century. On the other hand, some alternative history and Pseudo-Archaeological narratives present the largely unsupported idea that perhaps the tower was built by Vikings, Welsh, Dutch, or even the Templar Knights.

Newport Tower

History of The Tower

Origins

The records of the Newport Tower can be traced back to 1677 at the earliest, in a deed for a cemetery in which the tower was referenced as "the stone mill"; likewise, in the same year, Governor Benedict Arnold referred to the tower as "[his] stone built windmill." It would make sense for Governor Arnold to construct a Windmill around that time period considering the first and only Windmill on Rhode Island, built under Governor Eaton, had been destroyed by a storm in August, 1675, just 8 months prior to Governor Arnold's reference to the mill. However, there is no record of the construction of the tower, or when it was built, which is extremely odd considering how complete colonial era construction records are for Rhode Island. Coincidently, the scarcely available records from this time indicate that up to the year 1800, both the tower and the land it rested on as belonged to Governor Arnold--strengthening the possibility that it was Governor Benedict Arnold who ordered the erection of the tower. In addition to Governor Arnold's reference to the tower as "his" stone mill in his will, two other documents referenced the structure in that same year (1677), however was almost never mentioned again in any sort of document for the next Century.

Excavation

Legitimate, Archaeological, excavation in the ground around the tower began during the season of 1948-'49 by Archaeologist William Godfrey and his team. Those who viewed the tower as Colonial in origin were strongly opposed to excavation of any kind, seeing the project as a tremendous waste of money and time. Nevertheless, Godfrey and his team began their excavation in 1948, digging in spots distanced from the tower so as to not disturb fences, benches, wood, and concrete that were already in place around the tower. In doing this, Archaeologists hoped to determine the strength of the tower's underpinnings by studying the entire area's geology, as well as find other related structures or significant cultural artifacts that would help them identify the age of the tower. Once the excavation began, Godfrey's team dug a long trench that went from the center of Touro Park all the way to the tower itself, where it passed between the columns of the tower on its southeastern side. In searching the trench, almost no artifacts of any importance were found, nor was there evidence of any type of structure. As the team moved closer to the direct vicinity of the tower, they did come across some items that peaked Godfrey's curiosity. While excavating in the area directly around the tower, Godfrey's team came across a pistol flint (admittedly insignificant), a fragment of a clay pipe, fragment of orange pottery found underneath undisturbed soil, handblown glass, a nail, and another fragment of pottery, almost identical to the first but with a small piece of preserved glaze. This piece of pottery, was immediately noticed by Dr. Hugh Hencken who was working on the dig, as he pointed out the striking resemblance in paste, glaze type, and interior finish of pottery found in Plymouth's John Howland House (built in 1628)., indicating that construction of the tower took place during some date in the Colonial period. While digging in another trench, Godfrey himself came across a heel boot footprint in the undisturbed soilwhile searching the ground for evidence of the tools the builders of the tower used. This discovery held great importance since it, along with the rest of the artifacts, appeared in the colonial layer of soil right above that of the undisturbed soil, suggesting that construction of the tower took place during some date in the Colonial period.

Godfrey's Conclusions

Godfrey, along with his team, took into account all of the evidence gathered at Touro Park and noticed all of the items and fragments of tools discovered were found in the Colonial horizon of soil.

William Godfrey Determined Governor Arnold Most Likely Constructed The Newport Tower

Combined with the noticed similarities between pottery found at Newport, and Colonial-age pottery found at a different Archaeological site, Godfrey concluded that the tower had to have been built by Governor Benedict Arnold or a contemporary of his. Since Godfrey's excavation, most Archaeologists agree the tower is indeed a 17th Century structure, however some legitimate debate exists in the general date of construction, and whether it was indeed Governor Arnold, or a predecessor that erected the tower.

Pseudo Archaeological Narratives

Although William Godfrey and the majority of Archaeologists place the construction of the Newport Tower in the Colonial era, very much conversation exists on whether or not the tower itself is older than previously thought.