Martello Tower C, near Jaywick. (EHER 8)

Martello tower built in 1812 to guard a sluice. It included a V shaped battery built in 1805. It was sold in 1906 and turned into a house. It was commandeered by the army as a piquet during World War I. In the 1930s it was bought and used as a club. It was re-occupied by the army during the Second World War when a concrete pill box was added to the roof. After the war it became a refreshment room and storehouse. Renovated and in use as a 3D audio-visual art gallery in 2007. Scheduled and listed.

Information from NRHE data import merged with original HER entry. Martello tower <1> Close to sea wall. Like some of the other Martello towers on this coast it is surrounded by a caravan site. Sold by the War Office in 1906, it was a dwelling for many years, later a refreshment room and club. In the 2nd World War it was occupied by the army <2> <3> 4 photos in SMR. They show that much of the facing has peeled off but the tower appears in reasonable condition from the outside at least <4> AP in SMR. <6> The tower was completed in 1812. The tower stands complete to its original height of about 10m. This tower was originally covered by a layer of coarse stucco. Patches of render, including possible traces of the original coating, still adhere to the brickwork. The first floor entrance retains its original metal-clad door. It is approached by two opposed flights of concrete steps, believed to have been added in WWII when the tower served as an army observation post. The oak floor and other features remain in place. All four windows are currently boarded up and one stairway to the west has remained blocked since WWII. The open stairway leads on to the roof. The ground floor is accessible via a passageway of unknown date cut through the rear (seaward) wall of the main magazine. Most of the internal features of the ground floor survive although a massive concrete revetment block (comparatively modern) occupies most of the floor space in the northern storage alcove. <24> <25> <26> According to one author the tower was built to command a sluice which could be opened to flood the surrounding marshland in the event of an invasion. This has not been confirmed, however, when completed the tower did compliment a forward battery built a few years before in 1805. The battery was of the barbette-type: a V-shaped brick wall pointing out to sea. The position of this structure is still reflected in the angle of the modern sea wall and promenade which replaced it in the late 1960's. Source <8> describes the tower in detail and includes external and internal photographs of the building, some in great detail. Site Management: = Department of the Environment offer to take over the tower accepted by Tendring District Council's Recreation and Amenities Committee. The council would still own the tower but would not control its use <5> Picture ref. <9> As part of the European Project Crossing the Lines the Martello Tower was recorded and renovated. Certain features within the tower could be observed during restoration work that could contribute to the understanding of the design of the towers. Features included in the building record were concrete tank and contents; alcove vents and ventilation system; first floor structure and drainage system. Other observations were made during construction.<10> Report on sustainable energy options in the tower. <11> and Restoration techniques study on artillery forts <12> both as part of the Crossing the Lines project. There was a substantial ditch surrounding the Martello tower, which was visible on several aerial photographs and was mapped as part of the NMP