English Coast Blog

74 Martello Towers were built along the coast of Kent and East Sussex, between 1805 and 1808 to guard against invasion by Napoleon along with other defensive measures such as Forts, Redoubts and the Royal Military Canal (which runs through Hythe).

The inspiration for the south coast implementation of these distinctive round towers came from a British attack in 1794 on Mortella Point in Corsica. The Mortella Point tower resisted attack from the Royal Navy ships HMS Fortitude and HMS Juno, resulting in 60 casualties on the British ships and the ships had to abandon the attack. It was left to the army to eventually take the tower after 2 days of heavy fighting. The tower had achieved this long resistance with only 38 men, one 6-pounder gun and two 18-pounder guns.

The name Martello Tower took a while to settle on by the English military planners, probably originating from ‘Torri de Martello’, the name given to watchtowers in parts of Western Italy, but also perhaps from one Naval officer who described Mortella Point as ‘Myrtello Point’ as the headland that the tower stood on was covered with wild myrtle. Other descriptions used were ’sea-towers’, ‘bomb-proof towers’, or ‘Corsican towers’ and in 1803 finally as ‘Martello towers’.

The towers never actually saw active service of course, Napoleon’s planned invasion came to nothing particularly after the Battle of Trafalgar defeat for the French Fleet which forced Napoleon to look elsewhere for conquest.

Today only around 26 of the original towers are still standing, many were built upon shingle beaches and the sea has inevitably claimed them, others were demolished to make way for modern developments, for example the Promenade at Hythe/Sandgate. Several have been restored and converted into residences, tower 24 at Dymchurch is now a museum, and the Wish Tower (Number 73) at Eastbourne is also open to the public.

1*	Folkestone	On the 200ft cliff above East Wear Bay. Currently undergoing restoration (2008).
2*	Folkestone	Converted into dwelling in 1964. Slightly inland from Tower 1.
3*	Folkestone	On the cliff edge above Copt Point, with a good view of Folkestone harbour and towers 1 and 2. Features in a painting of Folkestone by Turner in 1830. Fully restored and converted into a museum. Open to the public.
4*	Folkestone	Stands in the garden of a private house at the Western end of the Leas. Was fitted with a semaphore machine in 1820, as were three others (towers 27, 31, and 55). Was used during World War II by the Observer Corps.
5*	Folkestone	In the grounds of the Girl’s Technical School behind Sandgate High Street, off Coolinge Lane. In good condition, the door of one of the two magazine compartments is still covered with copper with details of the contents painted. It is in line with Sandgate Castle on the shore below.
6*	Shorncliffe Camp	Overgrown with trees growing in the moat/ditch, and the roof covered soil and vegetation. On the edge of the military camp, but accessible via footpath.
7*	Shorncliffe Camp	Sealed to prevent vandalism, a wooden floor is laid inside but this may not be the original floor. In poor condition now. Not accessible but can be seen from the nearby military cemetry.
8*	Shorncliffe Camp	Converted into a dwelling, situated amongst other housing just outside of the Shorncliffe Camp area.
9*	Shorncliffe Camp	In a fair state of preservation, with most of the stucco in place, and the ditch brickwork in good order. Can be seen from the Sandgate/Hythe promenade below.
10	Hythe Promenade	Was sited near near where the Imperial Hotel now stands.
11	Hythe Promenade	Was sited near Saltwood Gardens.
12	Hythe Promenade	Was sited at the south end of Stade Street.
13*	Hythe	On West parade, sold by the War Department in 1907, and converted into a dwelling in 1928 by A.J.Glock who named it Place Forte. It was requisitioned as an observation post during World War II. The designer of the Dungeness Lighthouse, Ronald Ward owned it from 1960 and completely converted it. It is now simply named as the Martello Tower and painted white.
14*	Hythe, Firing ranges	Located on the beach in the Hythe army firing ranges, but easily viewable from West parade. The letter ‘A’ was painted on the side of the tower at one time, signifying the range that the tower is located within.
15*	Hythe, Firing ranges	Located in the Hythe army firing ranges. The letter ‘D’ was painted on the side of the tower at one point, signifying the range that the tower is located within.
16	Hythe, Firing ranges	Some ruins visible, but destroyed before the Second World War.
17	Hythe, Firing ranges	Some ruins visible, but destroyed before the Second World War.
18	Hythe, Firing ranges	Some ruins visible, but destroyed before the Second World War.
19*	Hythe, Firing ranges	Located in the Hythe army firing ranges. The letter ‘N’ was painted on the side of the tower, signifying the range that the tower is located within. Now largely ruined but visible from West Parade.
20		Disappeared early in the 20th Century.
21		Disappeared early in the 20th Century.
22	Dymchurch	Built to protect the Willop Sluice in Hythe Road along with No.23, but destroyed in 1956 for road improvements.
23*	Dymchurch	Built to protect the Willop Sluice in Hythe Road, paired with No.22 but No.22 was destroyed to make way for road widening. This tower has been restored and is used as a residence.
24*	Dymchurch	Built to guard the Marshland Sluice, this tower has been fully restored and is open to the public.
25*	Dymchurch	Twinned with Tower 24 to guard the Marshland Sluice (visible in the foreground of the attached image), the outside had been restored but the stucco is deteriorating. It is located within a public car park.
26	St.Mary’s Church	Guarded the Globsden Gut sluice gates opposite St.Mary’s Church, but was demolished in 1871.
27	St.Mary’s Church	Guarded the Globsden Gut sluice gates with Tower 26. Was a semaphore station. Demolished in 1841. Last of the Kent towers.
28*	Rye Harbour	The first Sussex tower and still standing on the river Rother in Rye Harbour at the entrance to a holiday caravan park. Named Enchantress Tower.
29	Rye Harbour	Abandoned early on, stood near the harbour mouth.
30*	Rye	Two miles inland, but built to protect the sluices of the Royal Military Canal, and the rivers Brede and Tillingham. Moated tower, part of the drawbridge fixture remains. Two sash windows were added as it was used as a residence at one point. Now neglected and overgrown. UPDATE: 21st September 2008 - no longer overgrown, and with all the creeping foliage removed the good condition of the tower has been revealed. Updated photo to follow soon.
31	Pett Level	Was situated at Dog’s Hill, built directly onto the shingle beach and thus subject to erosion and swept away.
32	Pett Level	Built directly onto the shingle beach and thus subject to erosion and swept away.
33	Pett Level	Built directly onto the shingle beach and thus subject to erosion and swept away.
34	Pett Level	Built directly onto the shingle beach and thus subject to erosion and swept away.
35	Pett Level	Blown up by the Royal Engineers in 1872.
36	Pett Level	Built directly onto the shingle beach and thus subject to erosion and swept away.
37	Pett Level	Blown up by the Royal Engineers in 1864.
38	Pett Level	Blown up by the Royal Engineers in 1872. Situated at Cliff End near Hastings.
39	St. Leonards	Low level tower, located near to West Marina. Partially collapsed in 1876, and the remains blown up by the Royal Engineers.
40	St. Leonards	Low level tower, demolished in the 1870’s.
41	Bulverhythe	Low level tower built at The Salts, Bulverhythe. Had suffered sea erosion by 1842 and while arrangements were being made to sell the materials upon demolition, was destroyed by a gale and swept into the sea.
42	Bulverhythe	Low level tower built at The Salts, Bulverhythe. Demolished in 1840 and the materials sold. Some of the stone was later used in building a Chancel to St.Mark’s Church in Cooden.
43	Bulverhythe Bay	Bulverhythe Cliff, on the cliff top overlooking Bulverhythe Bay. Collapsed into the sea by the 20th Century.
44	Bulverhythe Bay	Gally Hill, on the cliff top overlooking Bulverhythe Bay. Collapsed into the sea by the 20th Century.
45	Sackville Hotel	Destroyed by 1839. Possibly the first tower depicted in drawing by Turner for his work ‘Liber Studiorum’ in 1817.
46	Colonade	Demolished in 1870. Traces found in 1910 when the Colonade was built.
47	Polegrove	Not known when this tower disappeared, presumably late 19th Century.
48	Pages Avenue	Built to the south of Pages Avenue, demolished in 1858.
49	Veness Gap	Disappeared presumably late 19th Century.
50	Cooden Beach Hotel	Destroyed in 1860 as a test target for a demonstration event to show the superiority of the Royal Artillery’s new muzzle-loading guns over the old breach-loading guns.
51	Cooden	On the beach and washed away by the 20th Century
52	Cooden	On the beach and washed away by the 20th Century
53	Cooden	On the beach and washed away by the 20th Century
54	Cooden	On the beach and washed away by the 20th Century
55*	Norman’s Bay	Close to the sea but still standing. Was one of the four semaphore towers. Once a dwelling but now empty.
56	Pevensey	Destroyed by sea erosion
57	Pevensey	Destroyed by sea erosion
58	Pevensey	Destroyed by sea erosion
59	Pevensey	Demolished in 1903
60*	Pevensey Bay	Stands in Pevensey Bay village close to the shore. Converted to a dwelling.
61*	Martello Estate	Stands in the Martello Estate
62*		Used as a residence and in good condition.
63		Destroyed by the Germans during World War II.
64*		Near to the sea and close to Crumbles Marina, still standing but unused.
65		In ruins by the start of the Second World War..
66*	Langney Point	Occupied by the Coastguard service.
67		Low level tower
68	St.Anthony’s Hill	Used as a target for the new rifled Armstrong guns in 1860. Housing estate later built on the site, the circular moat is still reflected in the road called the Circus.
69		Low level tower
70		Low level tower
71		Used as a target for the new rifled Armstrong guns in 1860.
72	Eastbourne	Low level tower
73*	Eastbourne	The Wish Tower, got it’s name from the nearby marshland known as the ‘Wash’ or ‘Wish’. Used by the coastguards after the Napoleonic threat receded and then abandoned. Saved from the threat of demolition, and became a museum. In 1959 it was declared an ancient monument, and completely restored. Was open to the public, but does not currently appear to be in use. The original tower number plaque is still visible above the doorway, in roman numerals LXXIII (73)
74*	Seaford	Built in 1810 and still standing. Sold by the War Office in 1880, it was a museum until 1911, and then converted into a cafe/amusement arcade. Many alterations were made, but now open to the public as a museum.

Notes about this list: The main reference source was published in 1972, over the coming months we will be further researching to ensure an accurate 2008 status for each tower. If you have further or more up-to-date information about any of the towers please post a comment and we will update.

References
Martello Towers, Sheila Sutcliffe (David & Charles 1972)
Martello Towers - A Brief History, Geoff Hutchinson (1994)
The Cinque Ports and Romney Marsh, Margaret Brentnall (John Gifford, 1972)

Tags: Martello Towers

This entry was posted on Monday, July 7th, 2008 at 9:39 pm and is filed under East Sussex, History, Kent. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.