The Martello Tower in Felixstowe

Image: © Evelyn Simak Taken: 25 May 2012

Martello towers are small defensive forts built during the 19th century, from the time of the Napoleonic Wars onwards. They stand up to 40 feet (12m) high and have two floors, commonly housing a garrison comprising one officer and 15 to 25 men. Their round structure and thick walls of solid masonry made them resistant to cannon fire, while their height made them an ideal platform for a single heavy artillery piece which was mounted on the flat roof and able to traverse a 360° arc. With the introduction of powerful rifled artillery they became obsolete but many have survived, sometimes converted into private dwellings, housing a museum or used by the coastguard, such as this one. Many are preserved as historic monuments.

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