Canadian Historic Sites: Occasional Papers in Archaeology and History No. 15

A History of Martello Towers in the Defence of British North America, 1796-1871

by Ivan J. Saunders

Appendix N. Cedar Island Tower, Kingston

Built: 1846-48
Armed: 1862
Disarmed: date unknown
Demolished: (extant. 1972)
Facing material: limestone ashlar masonry
Diameter: 54 ft.
Height: 36 ft.
Wall thickness: 8 ft. to 14 ft.
Parapet height: 6 ft.
Purpose: to defend the entrance to Hamilton Cove and cooperate in the general defence of Kingston harbour.

64 Cedar Island tower, 1971. (Photograph by author.)

65 Plan showing the relationship of Fort Henry and Cedar Island, 1850. (Public Archives of Canada.)

66 Cedar Island tower, section and elevation of the proposed tower, 1846. (Public Archives of Canada.)

67 Cedar Island tower, basement floor plan, 1846. (Public Archives of Canada.)

68 Cedar Island tower, sectioin and floor plans, 1859. (Public Archives of Canada.)

69 Cedar Island tower, barrack floor and platform plans, 1846. (Public Archives of Canada.)

70 Cedar Island tower, plan and section of the platform showing the proposed method of arming it, 1851. (Public Archives of Canada.)