Harold Tour, Ruins of a medieval tower in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, France
Tour Harold is a ruined medieval tower in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, a coastal town on the Somme Bay in northern France. Only the ground floor survives today, and the thick stone walls dating back to the 11th century bear clear signs of age.
The tower was built in the 11th century as part of the fortifications meant to defend the coast of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme from attack. Over the following centuries, the structure gradually fell into disrepair until only the remaining walls were left standing.
The tower takes its name from a legend about Harold, an envoy of the King of England, who was allegedly held here in 1053 after a shipwreck on the nearby coast. This story is a known part of local tradition and is often shared with visitors who come to see the ruins.
The ruins are located right in the center of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and are easy to reach on foot. There is no entrance and no barrier, so visitors can walk freely around the remaining walls.
The tower was painted in watercolors by the artist Oswald Macqueron in the 19th century, and those works are now kept in public archives. These paintings show the structure in a far better state than it stands today and remain the only known visual record of its earlier appearance.
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