Martello

Martello refers primarily to a class of small coastal defensive forts built by the British during the Napoleonic Wars, widely known as Martello towers. The name derives from Fort Mortella (La Mortella) at Mortella Point in Corsica, where a fortification influenced the British design.

Design and features of a typical Martello tower included a circular or oval plan, about 12 to 15 meters in diameter, standing three to four stories high. The thick masonry walls were designed to resist cannon fire, with a single heavy artillery piece mounted on the upper gun deck or roof, facing the waterfront. The entrance was protected by a heavy door, and the interior housed magazines, storerooms, living quarters, and a spiral staircase leading to the top. A cistern or well was often provided to sustain the garrison, which was usually a small permanent detachment.

Deployment and use of Martello towers spread across the British Empire, with towers erected along Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Caribbean, Malta, Gibraltar, and Bermuda. They were intended to repel naval bombardment and an assault by landing parties, functioning as affordable, sturdy watchpoints and defensive strongpoints. As artillery technology advanced and naval tactics changed in the mid to late 19th century, many towers became obsolete or were repurposed; some were preserved as coastal monuments or museums.

Notable surviving examples include the Martello towers around Dublin Bay, such as the Sandycove tower that hosts the James Joyce Tower and Museum, and several others across the former British Empire. Today, Martello towers are valued as architectural and historical landmarks illustrating early 19th-century coastal defense strategies.