Vendôme Battery

Vendôme Battery (Maltese: Batterija ta' Vendôme), also known as Ta' Maċċu Battery (Maltese: Batterija ta' Maċċu), is an artillery battery near Armier Bay, limits of Mellieħa, Malta.[1] It was built by the Order of Saint John in 1715–1716 as one of a series of coastal fortifications around the Maltese Islands.

This article is about the battery in Armier. For the one in Mellieħa Bay, see Fedeau Battery. For the one in Pwales, see Dellia Battery.
Vendôme Battery
Batterija ta' Vendôme
Mellieħa, Malta
Map of the Vendôme Battery
Coordinates35°59′22.3″N 14°21′12.6″E
TypeArtillery battery
Site information
OwnerGovernment of Malta
Controlled byPrivate tenant
Open to
the public		No
ConditionDerelict
Site history
Built1715–1716
Built byOrder of Saint John
MaterialsLimestone

History

Vendôme Battery was built in 1715–1716 as part of the first building programme of coastal batteries in Malta. It was part of a chain of fortifications that defended the northern coast of Malta, which also included Aħrax Tower, several batteries, redoubts and entrenchments. The nearest fortifications to Vendôme Battery are Qortin Redoubt to the west and Crivelli Redoubt to the east.

The battery was named after Philippe de Vendôme, the Prior of France, who donated 40,000 scudi to construct batteries and redoubts around Malta's coastline. Several other fortifications were named after Vendôme, including a tour-reduit in Marsaxlokk and a number of redoubts.[2][3]

Vendôme Battery was one of the largest batteries to be built in Malta.[4] It has a semi-circular gun platform, having a parapet with nine embrasures. A blockhouse is located at the centre of the battery, and its land front contains a large redan. The entire structure is surrounded by a ditch and glacis.

The battery was armed with five 8-pounder and four 12-pounder iron guns in 1785. Later on, mortars were also installed in the battery.[5]

Present day

Today, Vendôme Battery is still mostly intact, but is in a state of neglect. Its ditch is filled with soil and used to grow vegetables, while its walls are in a dilapidated state. Some stonework has been illegally removed to be used in the construction of nearby illegally built boathouses,[6][7] which have also damaged the battery's relationship with the sea.[4]

References
  1. "Armier - Beautiful, Quiet And Calm Bay". MaltaInfoGuide.com. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  2. "St. Mary's Gun Battery (aka Trunciera)". Unitedcominoferries.com. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  3. Spiteri, Stephen C. (10 April 2010). "18th Century Hospitaller Coastal Batteries". MilitaryArchitecture.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2015. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  4. Spiteri, Stephen C. (28 August 2012). "Campaigning for Rihama Battery". MilitaryArchitecture.com. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  5. Spiteri, Stephen C. (2004–2007). "A general overview of the fortifications in the locality of Mellieha" (PDF). Arx – Online Journal of Military Architecture and Fortification (1–4): 42. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  6. Said, Edward (October 2009). "More Heritage Threatened" (PDF). The Architect. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 June 2015.
  7. Zammit, Anne (4 August 2002). "Bastions, batteries and beachrooms". Times of Malta. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
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