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Sources

Where the facts come from

Every factual claim on this site links to its source. This is the full list.

How we checked

Each fact was written alongside its source. Our build script stores the source text and, for every fact, checks that the key words and figures really appear in it. 193 of 193 checks passed when this site was last built (checked 3 Nov 2026). Where we couldn’t read a source, we left the claim out. We quote short phrases only, and never reproduce anyone’s photographs or plans.

Figures that change

Entry, access and what a place is used for today can change. Facts like these are marked “checked 3 Nov 2026”.

What we leave out

This is a site about the history of Martello towers and about spotting and visiting them. It isn’t a visitor guide with live opening times, prices or access advice: check with the site you’re visiting. Where a source gives an interpretation or says the answer is unknown, we say so rather than choose for it.

English Heritage (2)

Historic England (3)

Historic Environment Scotland (2)

Royal Museums Greenwich (1)

Parks Canada (9)

UNESCO World Heritage Centre (1)

The James Joyce Tower and Dublin UNESCO City of Literature (3)

The Landmark Trust (1)

Wish Tower Friends (1)

GOV.UK (Department for Education) (1)

When sources disagree

Where sources give different dates, or say something is an interpretation or unknown, we show all of it, with links, and say how we handle it.

Corsica in 1794, or Sicily in 1793?

How we handle it: Historic England’s blog, Royal Museums Greenwich, English Heritage, Historic Environment Scotland and the Wish Tower Friends all place Mortella in Corsica, with the fight in 1794. One Historic England list entry says Sicily and 1793. We show both.

Which day in February 1794?

How we handle it: The Wish Tower Friends date the ships’ attack to 8 February; Royal Museums Greenwich says the tower was taken on 10 February, after bombardment from sea and land. These may be different moments in the same fight.

How big were the two warships?

How we handle it: English Heritage gives Fortitude 74 guns and Juno 32. Royal Museums Greenwich calls both 74-gun ships. Historic Environment Scotland’s combined 106 fits 74 plus 32.

How many guns did the Mortella tower have?

How we handle it: English Heritage says three guns; Historic Environment Scotland says two small cannon; the Wish Tower Friends describe two large 18-pounders and a smaller six-pounder.

Who or what turned Mortella into “Martello”?

How we handle it: Everyone agrees the name comes from Mortella. Historic England points to letters written at the time; the Wish Tower Friends suggest Lord Hood, or a mix-up with “Torri di Martello”; Royal Museums Greenwich calls the hammer meaning a coincidence.

How many towers were built?

How we handle it: These totals count different things: Britain and its dependencies, England only, single-gun towers only, or towers on England’s south coast.

How many survive?

How we handle it: English Heritage gives 26 of the 74 south coast towers. Historic England gives around 45 of 103 in England in one place, and some 46 of 105 single-gun towers in another.

When were the east coast towers built?

How we handle it: English Heritage says 1809 to 1812; Historic England’s blog says 1808 to 1812. For the Aldeburgh tower, Historic England’s list entry says 1808 to 1810 and the Landmark Trust says 1808 to 1812.

How many bricks?

How we handle it: About 250,000 for each south coast tower (English Heritage), 250,000 to more than 500,000 (Wish Tower Friends), over 700,000 for each east coast tower (Historic England), and nearly a million for the larger Aldeburgh tower (the Landmark Trust).

How many men lived in a tower?

How we handle it: English Heritage and the Dymchurch list entry say one officer and 24 men; Historic England’s blog says a garrison of 15 to 24; Hackness had barracks for 14.