Murney Tower facts for kids
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| Established | 1846 |
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| Location | Murney Point, Kingston, Ontario, Canada |
| Type | Martello tower |
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Official name | Murney Tower, Kingston |
| Part of | Rideau Canal |
| Criteria | Cultural: (i)(iv) |
| Inscription | 2007 (31st Session) |
| Area | 0.17 ha (18,000 sq ft) |
| Buffer zone | 2.71 ha (292,000 sq ft) |
| Designated: | 1930 |
Murney Tower is a cool old fort in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. It's a special kind of fort called a Martello tower. Building it started in January 1846. The tower was built because of a big disagreement called the Oregon Crisis. This was a tense argument about the border between British North America (which is now Canada) and the United States in the 1840s.
Murney Tower is one of five forts that protected Kingston. These forts guarded Kingston Harbour, the Naval Dockyard, and the southern entrance of the Rideau Canal. The other forts include Fort Henry, Ontario, Cathcart Tower on Cedar Island, Shoal Tower in the Confederation Basin, and Fort Frederick. Together, these forts protected Kingston and could fire at Gardiners Island. This island was the only place where enemies could easily land their cannons back then.
Contents
Murney Tower: A Historic Fort
Why Was Murney Tower Built?
When the tower was first planned, it was going to be called Murray Tower. It was named after the Master General of Ordnance, a military leader. However, the land where the tower stood belonged to the Murney family. Locals already called the spot Murney Point. So, they started calling the new fort Murney Tower, and the name stuck!
The original stone above the door actually said 'Murray Tower.' But someone added an 'N' over the first 'R'. Now, the sign reads 'MURNAY TOWER,' which is a mix of both names.
Building the tower began on February 7, 1846. A few months later, on June 15, the Oregon Treaty was signed. This agreement solved the border problem and made things less tense with the Americans. Just four days later, on June 19, the tower's walls were finished. The entire construction of Murney Tower was completed on November 10, 1846.
Life Inside the Tower
Soldiers lived in Murney Tower from 1848 until 1885. The main floor was like a barracks. This is where soldiers and their families lived, ate, and slept. The tower was first manned by the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment until 1870. After that, Battery A lived there until 1880, and then Battery B until 1884. After 1885, the Princess of Wales Own Regiment watched over it. The tower could hold up to 24 soldiers and one officer, or several soldiers and their families.
A baby was even born in the tower in 1882! Sergeant Thomas Pugh and his wife Martha Mary lived there with their seven children. Their daughter, Murney May Pugh, was born in May while the family was in the tower. She later left Kingston to become a nurse. She even served overseas during the First World War. The Pugh family has had a big impact on Kingston and Canada. They have served over 470 years in the military!
How the Tower Was Built and Defended
The tower is surrounded by a dry ditch. You can only get to it by crossing a bridge. When the tower was first built, there was no bridge. Soldiers likely used two ladders to get across the ditch. Murney Tower was built using limestone from local quarries. The inside walls on the barracks and basement levels have special brickwork.
Strong Walls and Clever Defenses
On its thickest side, the tower's walls are about 15 feet thick at the bottom. They are still 13 feet thick at the top. On the weaker side, the walls are about 8 feet thick. The south side walls are thicker because an attack from American ships was the most likely threat. The tower was built to withstand such an attack. Cannonballs from enemy ships were supposed to bounce right off the strong walls.
Cannons and Protection
Inside the barracks, there are two carronade cannons. These cannons would have fired 32-pound cannonballs out of special windows. Carronades could shoot up to 400 meters. They were used to fight against soldiers if there was a land attack. These cannons could be moved around inside. This allowed them to cover different areas, including the bridge.
The lowest floor held gunpowder and artillery supplies. It also had storage rooms. This floor also had four 'capponieres.' These were special defense systems for the dry ditch around the tower. Soldiers could fire through small openings called loopholes at enemies attacking the tower's base. Caponiers were unique to the Kingston Martello Towers. Their walls were thinner than the rest of the tower, making them more vulnerable. However, they allowed troops to protect the dry ditch with rifle holes. They also had extra doors to keep out any enemies who managed to get inside.
The very top level is the gun platform. It holds a Blomefield cannon, which also fired 32-pound cannonballs. This cannon could spin around on an iron track. This allowed it to cover the entire area around the tower. The Blomefield cannon was redesigned in 1780 by Thomas Blomefield. He made it simpler, lighter, and better at handling recoil than older cannons. This cannon weighs 6,429 pounds and could shoot up to 2,000 meters!
Martello towers usually had open gun platforms. But Murney Tower had a temporary snow roof added two years after it was built. This roof protected the cannon and kept out heavy snow. Adding a roof was common for Canadian Martello towers. The first roof was put on in 1849. In 1921, a strong windstorm blew off the original wooden and tin roof. Parts of the current roof are from the reconstruction in 1925. But most of the roof you see today is from the 1970s. It cannot be removed for safety reasons.
Even though Murney Tower was one of the most advanced Martello towers built by the British, it quickly became outdated. This was because military weapons and ship designs improved very fast.
Murney Tower Today
In 1925, the Kingston Historical Society opened Murney Tower as a museum. It is still run by the Kingston Historical Society as the Murney Tower Museum. It is open during the summer months, from May to Labour Day in September. Inside, you can see three cannons, old uniforms, muskets, and other military items from the mid-1800s.
Fourteen Martello towers were built in Canada, but only nine are still standing. Four of these are in Kingston! Today, only the Murney Tower Museum is open to the public. Fort Henry has two towers that look like Martello towers, but they are a different type called branch ditch towers.
Special Recognitions
In 1930, Murney Tower was named a national historic site. This was because of its smart design.
In 1989, all the Kingston Fortifications were named a National Historic Site of Canada.
In 2007, the Rideau Canal and the Kingston Fortifications (including Murney Tower) became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This means they are recognized as very important places in the world. They played a key role in defending British North America and helping Canada become its own country.
