A climb up St Laurence's Gate is a rare treat in Drogheda, and demand proved it, with the latest tour of the Louth landmark selling out before the day came round. The 13th-century barbican stands as one of the best-preserved gates of its type anywhere in Ireland. Its upper levels normally stay closed to protect the stonework, which makes any opening a draw for locals and visitors alike. Those who made the ascent got a close look at limestone that has watched over the town for roughly seven centuries. Guides walked the group through the gate's original job, defending the western approach to the walled medieval town and controlling who came through it. The sell-out points to an appetite for more, and conservators will have to weigh extra openings against the wear they would bring to a monument that has already survived seven hundred years.