Worldwide Forts and Fortifications

Martello Tower ... Antigua

Martello towers are small, round defensive forts. The idea was that their round shape and thick walls allowed them to stand up very well to most cannon fire of their day. Therefore, they made excellent artillery platforms, mounted on the roof, able to respond around a full 360°. They were usually positioned to defend harbours and are often found on coasts and inland waterways. By the end of the 19thC century, however, they were made obsolete by the introduction of more powerful and rifled artillery. 

The origin of the British Martello Towers can be traced to the round fortresses built by the Genoese as early as the 16th century. The British had been impressed when, in 1794, they laid siege to one such tower - the Torra di Mortella - then being used by the French on the island of Corsica during the French Revolutionary Wars. And, while it was eventually captured from the land, it took the combined firepower of two British warships and land-based forces to finally breach the tower. Vice-Admiral Lord Hood noted that despite sustained fire by both ships for two-and-a-half hours the British cannonade had not done any significant damage. In fact, one of the British ships was forced to withdraw. After that, the British built similar towers all over the Empire. The name 'Martello' comes from the misspelling of Mortella. In total, about 140 of them were constructed from Canada to Australia and from Britain to South Africa.

In fact, however, the British built round towers as gun platforms before this. The tower in Antigua, on this stamp, was built in 1745 next to the ruins of an ealier fort. It is often seen as the first 'Martello' tower in the Caribbean, and, if you believe the local tourism groups, the world (smile). The tower is still the highest building in the area and serves as a navigation aid. Today, the former fort "is a popular location for weddings".

Stamp:
Antigua
Martello Tower
Issued on November 2, 1953
8c, Deep Blue
SG 127