Martello Tower K (EHER 15)

Martello Tower on the landward side of Walton on the Naze overlooking Mill Lane, Walton Town Hard and the Walton Backwaters to the north east of the town. The tower was originally identified by the letter 'K' within the series of towers built along the Essex coastline between 1810 and 1812. Tower K, the most northerly in the line of Essex Martello towers, was built to command the landing places and safe harbours to the rear of Walton on the Naze. The tower stands to its original height of about 10 metres and the denticulated stone mouldings around the door and windows all protrude slightly from the brickwork, indicating that this tower was originally covered by a layer of coarse stucco. As with all the Essex Martello towers, tower K was armed and provisioned but not garrisoned after its completion in 1812. After 1816 married pensioners from sapper and artillery units were appointed as caretakers. During the 20th century the tower has seen a variety of uses related both to the London County Council camping site, which surrounded it before World War II, and the subsequent development of the Martello Caravan Park. These have included periods as a bar and latterly as a storeroom and electricity sub-station. The forward battery still survives, in 2007, in the adjacent boatyard. Scheduled and Listed.

Martello tower <1> <2> Martello Tower on the landward side of Walton on the Naze overlooking Mill Lane, Walton Town Hard and the Walton Backwaters to the north east of the town. The tower was originally identified by the letter 'K' within the series of towers built along the Essex coastline between 1810 and 1812. Tower K, the most northerly in the line of Essex Martello towers, was built to command the landing places and safe harbours to the rear of Walton on the Naze. The tower stands to its original height of about 10 metres and the denticulated stone mouldings around the door and windows all protrude slightly from the brickwork, indicating that this tower was originally covered by a layer of coarse stucco. As with all the Essex Martello towers, Tower K was armed and provisioned but not garrisoned after its completion in 1812. After 1816 married pensioners from sapper and artillery units were appointed as caretakers. During the 20th century the tower has seen a variety of uses related both to the London County Council camping site, which surrounded it before World War II, and the subsequent development of the Martello Caravan Park. These have included periods as a bar and latterly as a storeroom and electricity sub-station. The forward battery still survives, in 2007, in the adjacent boatyard (detailed in EHER 81594). Scheduled and Listed. In World War I it mounted a 24-pounder which remained in position for a long time. The land surrounding it was many years a camping site, and now it stands in a sea of caravans and is used as a bar" <3> <4> 2 photos in SMR <5> Additional references <6> <7> <8> <9> <10> <11> <12>