Photos & Video: New Bridge For Martello Tower
[Updated with video] An almost 200 year old structure got a little facelift today [May 3] as Ornamental Iron Works Ltd installed a new bridge at Martello Tower with the help of a crane truck from Fast Forward Freight.
According to Dr Edward Harris of the Bermuda National Museum, the Martello Tower was built out of hard Bermuda limestone by the Royal Engineers and completed in 1823. It is the only Martello Tower in Bermuda, and is a classic South Coast of Britain design, but built in stone rather than brick.
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An Ornamental Iron Works spokesperson explained that back in 1970, Ornamental Iron Works was commissioned to fabricate a foot bridge to allow access from the land to the middle section of the Martello Tower. It was designed and built by Donald Gray, along with a ladder to allow access to the bottom of the moat.
Robin Gray, the son of Donald Gray, took over as managing director of the Ornamental Iron Works, and this year they were commissioned by the Ministry of Public Works to fabricate a new bridge and moat access ladder as the old bridge had reached the end of use.
This new bridge was fabricated in Bermuda, at the Ornamental Iron Works location on Middle Road in Devonshire.
Francine Trott, Heritage Officer for the Parks Department, told Bernews, “The walkway fell into disrepair. The metal was just rusting away on us, so we put it out to tender and Ornamental Iron Works was one of the vendors that came back and one of the reasons we selected them was because they had built the other bridge, and it lasted for over 40 years.”
Ms Trott said she was very pleased with the good craftsmanship and the time it took them for installation, and added that Martello Towers will be now be open this summer.
Ms Trott explained it is open by appointments only, so people can contact Fort St. Catherine and they will arrange for guides to take you through the tower and provide information.
Click to enlarge photos:
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Safety comes first…
Yeah, like how railings under Dept. of Planning rules must have picket spacing under 6″ centers so a child can’t fall through, an adult could fall through this one. Open “by appointment only” a Parks Dept. guide will be sent to provide a tour, of an empty building.
Built in Bermuda by non-Bermudian welders. Remember when Ornamental employed local craftsmen?
Hey – not so “sage” – everybody in those photographs are Bermudian except one!
Fantastic news! Does anyone know if the tower is open to visit the inside of it?
Last paragraph of the article explains how to arrange a visit.