Martello Towers on the South Kent Coast: The Evolution of the Towers

This article is the result of an investigation which I began many years ago and started with the Martello Tower at Eastbourne. This tower caught my attention and prompted me to discover more about the history of these towers for my own interest. Among the many types of coast defenses built over the centuries, the Martello towers are the most historically and architecturally interesting. However, an article of this nature does not lend itself to a complete analysis of all the south coast defenses, and is therefore an attempt to gather documentary evidence relating to Martello towers on the south coast of Kent. It has been suggested that the name 'Martello' instead of 'Martella' is of Italian origin. The word means 'myrtle' in Italian but to the English military men the sound was very like Martello. From contemporary dispatches, it is clear that there were several versions of the word before it was universally accepted as Martello.

The classic period for Martello tower building was the Napoleonic era. No doubt the readers of this article are all too familiar with the historical background and the war with France which lasted almost continuously from 1793 to 1815.

The design of the Martello tower was inspired by the tower at Martella Point on the Island of Corsica which was occupied by the French Army (ironically the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte). In 1794 the British Fleet sailed into the gulf of San Fiorinzo and prepared to capture the Island. Two ships bombarded the tower but were forced to withdraw after sustaining serious damage and many casualties. It was finally captured by the army under Sir David Dundas which landed further along the coast. Even then it took two days of continuous firing by a battery of four guns before the tower surrendered. The navy and army officers who had served in the Corsican campaign were very impressed by the tower's strength. Sir David Dundas reported the Martella action to his superiors and suggested that similar towers might be constructed for the defense of the English coast.

In the Autumn of 1796, the British withdrew from Corsica and the Martella Point tower was blown up. Fortunately, an amateur artist made some sketches of the tower which included the layout of the armament on the roof. However, the government was not going to be rushed into anything and it was not until December 1803 that a young Royal Engineer officer, Captain W.H. Ford, proposed a chain of towers or sea fortresses along the Kent and Sussex coasts built at short intervals in order that the gunfire crossed at almost point-blank range. Ford submitted his proposals to the Commanding Engineer of the Southern District, Brigadier General William Twiss, an expert in military defense works. Twiss agreed with Ford's recommendations which he passed on to General Sir David Dundas who had been present when the Martella Point Tower had been captured.

Due to opposition on all sides including the army, it was fifteen months before Ford's plan was finally approved. William Pitt emerged from retirement in May 1804 and returned to power as Prime Minister. He was then the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and living at Walmer Castle and was very keen to build the Martello Towers. There is no doubt that but for his interest the towers would never have been built.

In the summer of 1804, Twiss surveyed the south coast between Beachy Head in Sussex and Dover. His aim was to examine the ground and decide the best position for the towers. Because there was widespread opposition to the project the Privy Council decided to hold a conference on coastal defense at Rochester in October 1804. The Rochester conference approved the building of the Martello Towers, but they were to be circular and not square as proposed by Ford. The number of towers to be built was changed several times and there were still arguments over design and armament. During this period the Government was having problems persuading landowners to part with their land. The latter wished to sell it but the Government preferred to have the land on a 99-year lease. All these negotiations caused delay and it was not until April 1805 that the building of the south coast towers began, nearly two years after Ford had suggested them. When work was finished in 1808, seventy-four Martello Towers had been erected along the south coast. The garrison of each tower consisted of twenty or thirty men and one officer. The tower contained two stories, the lower one for ammunition and provisions and the upper, the living quarters (see sketch).

Construction of the South Coast Towers

It was finally decided that the forts were to be smaller than the one at Martella Point. They were approximately 33 feet high from ground level to the top of the parapet, with a base diameter of 45 feet. The main feature of the towers was the massive walls which were constructed of brick covered externally with cement and sand rendering. The Royal Engineers carried out several experiments before construction began. They fired cannonballs at the walls until the necessary strength was achieved. This was obtained by bedding the bricks in a special hot lime mortar which was extremely difficult to break. The walls on the seaward side were approximately 13 feet thick at the base. The towers had an 'upturned flower-pot profile'. This slight batter was obtained by decreasing the thickness of the external walls from the base to the top of the parapet. The foundations also supported a large circular brick column which was the main structural feature of the interior. The column was 5 feet in diameter from the ground to the first floor and supported the first-floor joists and the vaulted roof. Entrance to the first floor was through a door 20 feet from the ground on the landward side of the tower with a retractable ladder which could be drawn up into the tower for security. The roof was vaulted and several feet thick, the upper surface being covered with lead. It had to support the traversing gun (24 pounder) behind a 6 feet thick parapet wall.

Distribution of the Kent Coast Towers

Of the twenty-seven towers built on the Kent coast between 1805 and 1808, only sixteen have survived. For identification purposes, the towers were numbered from east to west starting with No. 1 at East Wear Bay to the west of Folkestone and ending with No. 27 at St. Mary's Bay. Towers 1 to 9 are still standing but are in various states of disrepair. Some have been kept in good condition while others have been neglected. Next came a line of low-level towers in front of Hythe Nos. 10 to 21. They were equally spaced at the recommended 600-yard intervals. Nos. 10, 11, and 12 were demolished in the last century to make way for various building projects and road improvements. Tower No. 13 stands at the end of West Parade, Hythe and has been converted into a private house. It is well-preserved and its cannon is mounted in the garden facing West Parade, although this may not be the original.

When a second French invasion was anticipated in 1830, many of the south coast towers were rearmed. Nos. 14 and 15 are near the Fisherman's beach on the West side of Hythe and together with No. 19 are easily recognizable. Nos. 16 to 21 have either disappeared or reduced to rubble. Nos. 22 and 23 were in Hythe Road, Dymchurch to protect the Willop Sluice. No. 22 was demolished for road improvements in 1956. No. 23 was recently restored and the inside is still in its original condition. The roof was repaired and made watertight in 1966 and is in the care of English Heritage. The tower is open to the public during the summer months. Internally, there are several displays describing the historical background of Martello Towers. No. 25 stands in the middle of a car park. It has been recently restored externally and a new roof constructed in place of the old vaulted arch. Nos. 26 and 27 have both been demolished - No. 26 in 1871 and No. 27 in 1841. The numbers usually consist of Roman numerals on a stucco tablet fixed into the wall above the entrance door.

Conclusion

After the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, the emergency for which the towers had been built was finally over but none of them had ever fired a shot in anger. They soon became unpopular both with the army and the local people. From about 1812, it was decided to use them as signaling stations for naval and military messages. They were also used as coastguard stations. This was in order to combat smuggling which was prevalent on the south coast when the towers were built. Finally, they became obsolete by the development in artillery and the Government rid itself of the responsibility by putting some up for sale while others were left to deteriorate and eventually reduced to rubble.

The threat of invasion occurred again in the second world war and some of the Martello Towers which were in reasonable condition were brought back into use. Some were used as observation posts and even had guns mounted on the roof.

During the 1960s the public together with various historical societies took an interest in the historical significance of the Martellos. The best known Martello to be restored and opened to the public is Tower No. 73 at Eastbourne, known as the Wish Tower. In 1959 the tower was about to be demolished but fortunately the Minister of Public Works declared it an Ancient Monument. It contained an interesting exhibition inside but unfortunately it is now closed to the public.

Edward A. Noy