Martello Tower D, Clacton Golf Course (EHER 7)

Martello tower D was built between 1810-12. Structures on the roof date from the army's use during World War II. The tower was used 1961-1968 as a Royal Observer Corps Post. Elements of the ditch and boundary ditch survive as earthworks. Scheduled and Listed.

Martello tower <1> <2> The Martello tower, near Jaywick, built between 1810-12 of brick, sold by War Office in 1904 and it became absorbed, with surrounding land, in a golf course. In fairly good condition, was leased by Clacton Urban District Council to Secretary of State for Air <3> <4> <12> <13> <14> <15> <16> Two photos in SMR <5> Site visit 1975 or 1983 (Possibly for Scheduling). <17> Apparently disused, other than for storage, has lost of some of its facing, inside not seen when visited (in 1975 or 1983?). Has a possible ditch, though no definite sign and ground is waste. About 5 of surviving towers, of this type, on the east coast have traces of ditches <6> Photo refs: <7> <8> The tower guarded a sluice which could be opened to flood the surrounding marshes. <9> The tower stands complete to its full height of some 10m. The exterior brickwork shows no sign of the rendering commonly applied to these structures. All four windows, the door and the ladder chute below the door, have been bricked up in recent years to prevent vandalism. The interior is, however, reported to survive well and to retain many original features. At the time of its construction, the tower stood some distance back from the shoreline, behind a forward battery which had been built a few years before. All traces of the battery and its associated structures have long since disappeared, removed by coastal erosion and the construction of modern sea defences in the early 1980's. <10> The lower room was used as a non standard underground Nuclear Monitoring post (see 46688). Additional area proposed for guardianship to take in the possible ditch. The proposed area was 6yds wide on the seaward side owing to encroachment by the recent concrete sea (wall?) <6>