Listed building or place reference: OU0085 Historic site reference Property Kempt Tower Road name La Grande Route des Mielles Parish St. Ouen LocationView on map Grade Listed Building Grade 1 Category Anglo-Jersey military structure Statement of significance The tower and battery are significant as an integral part of a group of surviving military defences in Jersey that illustrates the changing political and strategic military history of the Island, and global trends in the history of war, in the late 18th and early 19th century through to the Second World War. It is the largest of the series of towers of the English Martello pattern built in Jersey between 1831 and 1837. The tower was built to a design approved by the Board of Ordnance and is a good example of the power of the 'engineering architecture' characteristic of work by the Royal Engineers in the 19th century. The highest standards of construction were achieved by the supervising RE Officers and Jersey contractor Jean Gruchy and his stonemasons. The tower substantially retains its completeness and architectural integrity as an early nineteenth century Martello tower with the structure close to its original form and physical context. It is strategically sited and can still be read in terms of its strategic defence value as originally conceived. The stone battery similarly retains its integrity. The adaptation and re-use of the tower by the German occupying forces in the 1940s provides a direct and tangible association with events that are of outstanding universal significance. Context n/a External Description Kempt Tower is a fine example of the largest, English east-coast pattern Martello - designed primarily for mounting artillery on a roof platform. It is cam-shaped in plan with a characteristic squat and robust profile - the tower measuring 54 ft in diameter and 35 ft in height. It has noticeably battered, very thick, outer walls of exposed Jersey granite (originally rendered) with very few openings - limited to small windows lighting the upper accommodation level and a raised first floor entrance. This has a dressed granite surround inscribed KEMPT TOWER with 1834 datestone - the doorway facing away from the direction of attack and with a specially profiled threshold to enable the entrance ladder to be withdrawn from above. A ground floor doorway and single window at magazine level - both in dressed granite - were inserted by the Germans in 1941. The roof deck, with its very broad encircling parapet wall, was originally designed to mount three guns and is supported on a brick vault. This construction differs from the English Martello towers, which are usually entirely constructed of brick, except for certain dressings. The roof deck is subdivided by concrete walls inserted in 1941, and the floor level has been raised with modern paving laid over. A pair of stairs accesses the roof deck from the main floor below. Access to roof level is via a pair of granite stairs set entirely within the thickness of the external wall. The inserted German floor raised the original floor height, reducing the amount of clearance for the doorways, fireplaces and windows - with the exception of the main entrance, which retains its original level as it steps down from the room. The roof platform is supported off the central pillar and brick vault below. The 1834 layout is still evident with 3 semi-circular positions within the broad masonry parapet to house the traversing guns, and various integral storage niches. German works include a concrete capping to the parapet, and concrete partition walls, which subdivide the gun deck. Post-war additions include a hood above both stair entrances and basic wooden doors. The roof deck level has also been raised with post-war concrete paving - the survival of the original granite paving being unclear. The adjacent New North Battery is constructed of granite, with a curved wall on the seaward side, behind which are three trapezoidal areas of paved stone - each designed to accommodate a single gun. Internal Description n/a Special interest Architectural,Historical For the best experience, you will need to use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge web browser to view the map Back to detail page Back to search results Documents Terms and conditions for downloading documents The plans, drawings and material provided have been submitted to the Chief Officer for permissions in respect of the Planning and Building (Jersey) Law 2002. They are protected by copyright under the Intellectual Property (Unregistered Rights) (Jersey) Law 2011 (Article 70 of the 2011 Law). The material is being provided to make available for public inspection the Register of Planning and Building Applications and must not be used for other purposes without the prior permission of the copyright owner.The Minister for the Environment makes every effort to maintain the accuracy of the information on this website but cannot accept responsibility for and disclaims all responsibility for any loss or damage which may arise from the use of the information provided. For applications approved during or after July 2016 approved documents are available from within the ‘Approved Documents’ section. For applications approved from 15 May 2012 - July 2016 approved documents are available under the ‘Plans’ section. I understand and agree with the terms and conditions. Date Description Size 25/08/2015 ILAP Notices Schedule Listed Building Grade 1 118.40 KB Back to search results
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