" P@tH Im@ges "
" Baywatch " 1804
In 1804 Napoleon Bonaparte or Boney as he was called here,set his sights on invading England using Ireland as a back door. We of course hoped that he would come to free us from England`s grasp after nearly 600 years of occupation.. It was decided to build these wonderful Martello [ or Joycean towers-after James Joyce`s Ulysses ] towers around the coast as a defence against such an attack. There were 50 of them in all and 103 in England and they were complete with battlements, gun rooms, ramparts and constructed from local stone with walls up to 8ft thick. The entrance was 8ft up off the ground and only accessable by ladder..However, Boney never came and they were never used. Many are now in ruins but 20 are still standing. Some are in private hands and have been tastefully restored and converted into wonderful houses and they are fantastic structures with the best one in Sutton. See link below.
The one at Sandycove is now a James Joyce museum as he actually lived in it for a while. This tower here is in Donabate and is not used but the council maintain it. I think it should be open as a tourist office or something like that. Its pretty wonderful building.
This Baywatch doesnt have a red bathing suit in sight or a carpet chested David Hasselhopper either but I suppose that type of thing has its place too!! Come back Pamela!!!!
Joking aside, I do hope you like my baywatch and the bit of history stuff!
Ill be watching out for all of you my friends!
P@t
www.martellotowersutton.com/Tower_History.html
And heres the link to the photo of James Joyce`s tower
at Sandycove. Ive included a fair bit of history with it and it should give you a laugh!
P@t.
www.flickr.com/photos/137473925@N08/27266594416/in/datepo...
" Baywatch " 1804
In 1804 Napoleon Bonaparte or Boney as he was called here,set his sights on invading England using Ireland as a back door. We of course hoped that he would come to free us from England`s grasp after nearly 600 years of occupation.. It was decided to build these wonderful Martello [ or Joycean towers-after James Joyce`s Ulysses ] towers around the coast as a defence against such an attack. There were 50 of them in all and 103 in England and they were complete with battlements, gun rooms, ramparts and constructed from local stone with walls up to 8ft thick. The entrance was 8ft up off the ground and only accessable by ladder..However, Boney never came and they were never used. Many are now in ruins but 20 are still standing. Some are in private hands and have been tastefully restored and converted into wonderful houses and they are fantastic structures with the best one in Sutton. See link below.
The one at Sandycove is now a James Joyce museum as he actually lived in it for a while. This tower here is in Donabate and is not used but the council maintain it. I think it should be open as a tourist office or something like that. Its pretty wonderful building.
This Baywatch doesnt have a red bathing suit in sight or a carpet chested David Hasselhopper either but I suppose that type of thing has its place too!! Come back Pamela!!!!
Joking aside, I do hope you like my baywatch and the bit of history stuff!
Ill be watching out for all of you my friends!
P@t
www.martellotowersutton.com/Tower_History.html
And heres the link to the photo of James Joyce`s tower
at Sandycove. Ive included a fair bit of history with it and it should give you a laugh!
P@t.
www.flickr.com/photos/137473925@N08/27266594416/in/datepo...