La Tour de Vinde, (aka Noirmont Tower), is a

Martello tower Martello towers, sometimes known simply as Martellos, are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards. Most were coastal forts. They stand up ...

that the British erected between 1808 and 1810 to command the approaches to St Aubin's Bay,

Jersey Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label=Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ), is an island country and self-governing Crown Dependencies, Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west F ...

. The tower stands at the foot of the cliffs of Noirmont Point, in the

Vingtaine de Noirmont Vingtaine de Noirmont is one of the four vingtaines of St. Brélade Parish on the Channel Island of Jersey Jersey ( , ; nrf, Jèrri, label= Jèrriais ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey (french: Bailliage de Jersey, links=no; Jèrriais: ...

in the Parish of

Saint Brélade St. Brelade (French: ''Saint Brélade'') is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is around west of St Helier. Its population was 10,568 as of 2011. The parish is the second-largest parish by surface area, covering 7 ...

. During the

occupation of the Channel Islands The military occupation of the Channel Islands by Nazi Germany lasted for most of the Second World War, from 30 June 1940 until liberation on 9 May 1945. The Bailiwick of Jersey and Bailiwick of Guernsey are two island countries and British ...

in World War II, the Germans erected

Battery Lothringen Battery Lothringen was a World War II coastal artillery battery in Saint Brélade, Jersey, named after the SMS'' Lothringen'', and constructed by Organisation Todt for the Wehrmacht during the Occupation of the Channel Islands. The first instal ...

on the top of Noirmont Point. The site of the tower is accessible at low tide by foot, though the tower itself is closed to the public. La Tour de Vinde is painted black and white to serve as a

daymark A daymark is a navigational aid for sailors and pilots, distinctively marked to maximize its visibility in daylight. The word is also used in a more specific, technical sense to refer to a signboard or daytime identifier that is attached to a ...

for sailors. Since 1915 it has housed a light that at night flashes every 12 seconds. The tower is currently under the purview of the Harbour & Airport Committee.

Name

The name comes from the Norse, where "vinde" means to tack or go about. Once a sailing vessel heading for St Aubin's Bay had passed the point it could tack to approach the harbour.

Description

The tower was armed with a single 18-pounder gun on its top; there was a second 18-pounder in a battery at its base. The tower supports the second floor via arches instead of a central pillar.Grimsley (1988), p.43. The tower's diameter is and it stands high.Clements (1999), p. 169.

Citations and references

;Citations ;References *Clements, William H. (1998) ''Towers of Strength: Story of Martello Towers''. (London: Pen & Sword). . *Grimsley, E.J. (1988) ''The Historical Development of the Martello Tower in the Channel Islands''. (Sarnian Publications). *Hals Michelet, Maren Bastin (1914) ''First year Norse''. (The Free Church Book Concern). *Sutcliffe, Sheila (1973) ''Martello Towers''. (Cranbury, NJ: Associated Universities Press).

Gallery

File:Noirmont Tower 1.JPG File:Noirmont Tower - geograph.ci - 37.jpg File:Nièrmont et la Tou d'Vînde du baté 2.jpg File:Tour de Vinde and St Helier St Clement coasts Jersey.jpg File:View of Jersey 21.jpg {{DEFAULTSORT:La Tour de Vinde, Jersey Buildings and structures in Saint Brélade Coastal artillery Fortifications in Jersey History of Jersey

Towers in Jersey Towers completed in 1810 Lighthouses in Jersey Martello towers Daymarks

Name

Description

See also

Citations and references

Gallery