Martello Tower No. 61

Martello Tower No. 61

Martello Tower No. 61 stands on the shingle approximately 200 metres from the sea at Pevensey Bay. It is one of a series of defensive towers built along the Kent and Sussex coasts in 1805–06 in response to the threat of invasion by France during the Napoleonic wars. The tower's design was inspired by a circular tower at Cape Mortella in Corsica, which the British Navy had found difficult to capture in 1794.

The tower is constructed of brick, with walls approximately 10 metres high, though the surrounding shingle has been partially removed from the base, making it appear slightly taller. Its plan is externally slightly elliptical with sides sloping inwards towards the top, but internally circular. The walls vary in thickness around the circumference, with thicker walls facing seaward. A World War II superstructure of concrete and glass has been added to the roof.

The original entrance survives and remains in use, though a modern stairway has been erected against the outer wall to provide access. Originally, access would have been via a retractable ladder. Additional openings have been created, including one at ground floor level allegedly made by Canadian troops garrisoned here during World War II. There are also two windows at first floor level. The World War II structure on the roof is circular with two tiers and windows on the seaward side.

Interior

A water cistern survives below ground floor level, occupying the full area of the ground plan. Originally two trap doors allowed buckets to be lowered to draw water, but these were concreted over during World War II.

The ground floor now contains two bedrooms and a bathroom. The bathroom occupies what was originally the ammunition store; its walls were partially vandalized but were rebuilt during conversion. The room has a vaulted roof with niches for storage, and the bedroom ceilings are flat and plastered. When there were no external openings, ventilation was provided through shafts built into the walls from the first floor, appearing as high niches. Access to the first floor is by a wrought iron spiral stair fixed against the wall.

The first floor's most striking feature is a massive central column. This floor now forms a single open living space, originally divided into officers' and men's quarters. Both fireplaces survive: the officers' quarters retains its grate, while the men's quarters now houses a modern stove with a modern hearth. Niches low in the walls mark the beginning of ventilation shafts. The ceiling is vaulted. Just inside the door, a ceiling ring is the remains of a pulley system for hoisting supplies and equipment. All internal walls throughout are unplastered brick. An original stairway set into the wall thickness provides access to the roof.

This stair emerges under the parapet surrounding the roof. Five restraining rings are set into the parapet at regular intervals (originally six) for securing the gun carriage. A niche in the parapet held ammunition. A cannon has been attached to the parapet in recent years. The stair gives directly into the outer observation room of the World War II superstructure. Above the parapet on the seaward side is almost continuous glass separated by uprights. There were originally three rooms at this level, divided by walls made from concrete poured into corrugated iron shuttering; two now remain. Above is a small bedroom with windows all around the seaward side.

Historical context

The south coast Martello Towers were built as a coordinated defensive system along the Suffolk–Essex and Kent–Sussex coasts, with similar towers constructed in Scotland and Ireland. Towers were sited to protect potential invasion beaches and positioned so that adjoining towers provided interlocking fields of fire.

The towers continued in use through the early 19th century and became obsolete during the latter part of the century. In the 1930s, Tower No. 61 was used as a shingle grader. During World War II, a superstructure was added to the roof containing range-finding equipment for a gun battery installed on the shingle below in 1941. Canadian troops were the first garrison; after 1942 it was taken over by the Home Guard. After the war, it served as a Royal Observation Corps post for the Air Ministry until being decommissioned as surplus to requirements on 9 April 1962. In the 1960s, blocks of flats were erected around the derelict tower, which was finally converted to domestic use in the 1990s. It is one of only 26 martello towers that survive of the original 74 that lined the Kent and Sussex coasts.