Tombrell Battery ( mt, Batterija tat-Tumbrell) was an

artillery battery In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to fac ...

in Delimara,

Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk () is a small, traditional fishing village in the South Eastern Region of Malta. It has a harbour, and is a tourist attraction known for its views, fishermen and history. As at March 2014, the village had a population of 3,534. The ...

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

. It was built in around 1722 by the

Order of Saint John The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Fratrum Hospitalis Sancti Ioannis Hierosolymitani), commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), was a medieval and early modern Catholic military order. It was headq ...

as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the coasts of the Maltese Islands. The battery was demolished at the end of the 19th century, and only its rock-hewn ditch survives today.

History

Tombrell Battery was built on a small headland known as Tombrell Point, which is part of the

Delimara peninsula The Delimara peninsula (''Maltese: Dellimara'') is a peninsula located on the southeastern tip of the island of Malta's South Eastern Region, forming half of Marsaxlokk's coast on Marsaxlokk Bay. The towns of Marsaxlokk and Birżebbuġa are loca ...

. It is believed to have been built in around 1722, but its actual date of construction is not yet known. The battery consisted of a semi-circular gun platform, with guns mounted ''en barbette''. Its land front was enclosed by an unusual combination of a

redan Redan (a French word for "projection", "salient") is a feature of fortifications. It is a work in a V-shaped salient angle towards an expected attack. It can be made from earthworks or other material. The redan developed from the lunette, ...

and a blockhouse, and it was surrounded by a rock-hewn ditch. An irregular entrenchment wall flanked either side of the battery. Tombrell Battery was demolished by the British military at the end of the 19th century to clear the line of fire of

Wolseley Battery Wolseley Battery ( mt, Batterija ta' Wolseley) is an artillery battery in Delimara, Marsaxlokk, Malta. It was built by the British between 1897 and 1899, and is located close to Fort Tas-Silġ. Today, the battery still exists, but it is not acces ...

Present day

Today, only the battery's rock-hewn ditch can be seen. The site is covered by a small mound of rubble, and the battery's foundations are possibly buried underneath. An archaeological excavation would be required to study the site properly.

References

External links

National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands
{{Batteries in Malta Batteries in Malta Hospitaller fortifications in Malta Buildings and structures completed in 1722 Buildings and structures demolished in the 19th century Demolished buildings and structures in Malta Marsaxlokk Limestone buildings in Malta National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands 18th-century fortifications 1722 establishments in Malta 18th Century military history of Malta