Martello Tower

This is at Seaford between Brighton and Eastbourne. There are lots of these on the south coast that were built during Napoleonic times to protect against invasion.

The name Martello comes from the Italian 'mortella' which means Myrtle Bush. In 1794 two British warships attacked a French fortress at Mortella Point in Corsica. The British were so impressed by the way the building withstood the barrage that they adopted the design. The round shape, thick solid masonry walls made them resistant to cannon fire. Their height made them an ideal platform for a single cannon able to traverse 360 degrees.

Since those days this has had many uses including a prison, an amusement arcade and a private house. It now houses the Seaford Museum.