Mr Pitt's Pork Pies
Channel: Webministries TV
Date: 25/02/2014

Martello Towers are amongst the most recognisable features of the the south and east coasts of England.   They are modelled on towers build in Corsica to repel pirates and invaders in the 16th century.   In 1794 the British failed to make much impact on a tower at Mortella Point. So impressed were the Navy with the design of the tower that the Government designed their own to be constructed as a defence line on the English Coast: and so were born Martello Towers.    Similar structures were built in other parts of Britain and Ireland as well as all over the British Empire.  Wikipedia has a page full of information on them.

The towers in Felixstowe fell out of use in the mid-nineteenth century.   

Tower N was part of a series of fortifications known as the Dooley Fort but in the 1920s was used as part of an army firing range and was reduced to a ruin.   Trinity Terminal now occupies where it stood.  

Tower O was at Landguard Point near the fort but was washed away by coastal erosion in the 1870s.    

Tower P still exists.  It was a Coastguard lookout but now is looking for a use, being now amongst the Martello Place development.  Apparently geograph.org.uk claim it once had a moat, but if it did, there isn't much evidence left of it. 

Tower Q is on South Hill and is a private residence called Tower House.  It is concealed in a dry moat.  Someone decided to build ramparts on it in  the early 20th century which really look out of place.   The tower had an associated battery on the shoreline at the base of the cliffs below, in the space now occupied by the Leisure Centre.

Tower R was also set into a dry moat.  In the 1920s it was decapitated and incorporated as part of the Bartlett Hospital.   Only portions of the lower part of the tower exist, still in its dry moat with the hospital buildings constructed over the top of it. 

Tower S fell to coastal erosion in the 1830s.  It is believed that much of the brickwork was taken away and used in the construction of the nearby Bath Hotel - also now defunct.

Tower T is on the golf course and they still use it for storage.

Tower U is a private house at Felixstowe Ferry.

Unfortunately, none of them are open or accessible to the public.  Perhaps Tower P might have some kind of community use in the future.

Martellos were designed to be strong towers, constructed to resist seaborne attack by the French navy.  They existed to keep the coast safe, but they also had impressive fire power.    It reminded me of just how God protects His people when they run to Him.  

It also reminded me of what God did in order to make men and women His people - by the death of Jesus on the cross.   He opened a way by which people could find forgiveness, life and hope - and to know Him in a personal way.   The death of Jesus seemed like a defeat - he was arrested on false charges, accused falsely, condemned by a crooked judge, and executed in one of the most cruel ways ever thought up.  And that was a victory?

How?   Because it was in that death that Jesus dealt with the issue of sin - those things that keep us from God -so that each person may find the real meaning of life and an eternal hope.  He demonstrated His victory by raising to life three days later.

Now He offers each person an opportunity for forgiveness, to know God personally and to find an eternal hope.   And He can be known personally today as hundreds of Christians in Felixstowe can attest to.

And that offer is open to you right now.