Carleton Martello Tower in

Saint John, New Brunswick Saint John is a seaport city of the Atlantic Ocean located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. Saint John is the oldest incorporated city in Canada, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign of ...

, is one of the nine surviving

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 u ...

s in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

. The tower dates from the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

and played a significant role in conflicts until the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. The site now features a restored powder magazine, a restored barracks room, and exhibits in the tower and in the visitor centre. The tower's roof offers a view of the city of Saint John and its harbour. Carleton Martello Tower is one of the oldest buildings in the city and has been designated as a

National Historic Site of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada (french: Lieux historiques nationaux du Canada) are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being ...

since 1930. It has been open to the public since 1963.

History

Construction of the tower began in 1813, during the War of 1812, on a rocky cliff to guard the land approaches to the city. It was intended to defend against an overland invasion from the United States, but the tower was not completed until 1815, after the war had ended. The tower was a circular masonry structure, 30 ft. high and 50 ft. in diameter. The plans called for it to receive three 4-pounder and two 24-pounder guns but these were never installed. Carleton martello interior

Carleton Martello Tower was the third link to the defences of the city of Saint John, together with

Fort Howe Fort Howe (1777 — present historic site) was a British fort built in Saint John, New Brunswick during the American Revolution. It was erected shortly after the American siege in 1777 to protect the city from further American raids. The 18th a ...

, protecting the river narrows, and Fort Dufferin, guarding the harbour entrance near Partridge Island. In 1846, a bombproof magazine was built inside the tower, enabling it to serve as a powder magazine from 1859 to 1866. In 1866 it received two 32-pounder guns that the New Brunswick Regiment of Garrison Artillery manned to defend the city in the event of Fenian raids.Parks Canada - Carleton Martello Tower National Historic Site of Canada: The 1840s to Confederation
. Accessed online June 9, 2009. The guns were removed in 1877. From 1866 to 1869, the tower served as a barracks. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

it served as a detention centre for deserters of the 69th Battalion from November 1915 until April 1916.Parks Canada - Carleton Martello Tower National Historic Site of Canada: The 20th Century
. Accessed online June 9, 2009. In late 1939, at the beginning of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the 8th Anti-Aircraft Battery placed some machine guns on the upper level of the tower. In August 1941 a two-storey concrete structure was placed on top of the tower to enable the tower to function as a Fire Command Post, in which role it remained until August 1944. On 20 April 1942 the tower received a No. 3 Mark 4 telescope and a No. 10 Director. On 1 May 1943 a Mark II Position Finder was added to the fire control equipment on the tower. Soldiers of the 3rd New Brunswick Coast Brigade manned the tower from 1941 until it ceased operations in 1944.

References

*Parks Canada, Carleton Martello Tower National Historic Site brochure, undated (2001 ?).

External links

Parks Canada - Carleton Martello Tower National Historic Site of Canada
{{Authority control Towers completed in 1813 Military forts in New Brunswick Buildings and structures in Saint John, New Brunswick Museums in Saint John, New Brunswick Military and war museums in Canada National Historic Sites in New Brunswick Martello towers 1813 establishments in New Brunswick