Another Bell Tower

A short visit this morning to Saltram House, Plymouth to see how the snowdrops are progressing. On the pond near the house we saw the female red-crested pochard for the first time. This bird is a new visitor to Saltram and may well be an escape from somewhere else. It seemed quite happy diving on the pond but seemed to draw the wrath of some of the ponds usual residents. Before leaving I took this image of the belltower which is located on the top of the stables surrounding the courtyard. To begin with I thought it was unfortunate that the sky was so grey and overcast, but  now I think it might not have been such a bad thing as it helps to focus attention on the architectural detail. I had tended to regard it as ornamental, which is now mainly what it is. However, I wonder if it was sited here originally to provide timekeeping for workers on the estate and possibly to alert residents in the house a little distance away, of the arrival or impending departure of a coach (horse and coach variety). I am probably reading too much into it on this final point but the fanciful idea conjured up this image in my mind!