History & Ancestry
Roe Valley Ancestral Researchers, a community organisation in the rural village of Ballykelly. Created in 2016 providing facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation, education and other leisure time by improving the life skills, historical environment for members; researching family genealogy and social history in the Roe Valley.
FEATURED PROJECT
Farlow Tower
Sampson`s Tower walk.
Sampson`s tower was built in 1860 as a memorial to Arthur Sampson. He was the son of R`vd George Vaughan Sampson and Hester Lawrence who could not hold the position of land agent to the Fishmongers Company of London due to an act of parliament which would not allow a minister/priest to hold such a post.
Arthur was the Agent for The Fishmongers and collected the rents for the leases during his 34yr position. As he did such a good job in looking after the tenants the tower was built to remember him.
Over the years the tower has been neglected and subject to some vandalism thus making it somewhat dangerous and inaccessible from halfway up. The top floor has been collapsed into the second room and approximately 6-8 feet has been demolished from the top of the round tower section. This will all have to be repaired before we can allow the public access to the top of the tower where the view looking over the treetops is spectacular.
