Description of Historic Place

Surrounded by trees, the Cathcart Tower is located on Cedar Island in the Saint Lawrence Islands National Park of Canada near Kingston. It is an imposing, two-storey cylindrical, stone Martello tower with four evenly spaced caponiers around its base. The conical roof has twelve hips that rise to a central point. The only entrance is through a double reinforced door on the second level of the tower, which is also pierced by small, recessed shuttered windows. The designation is confined to the footprint of the building.

Heritage Value

The Cathcart Tower is a Classified Federal Heritage Building because of its historical associations, and its architectural and environmental values.

Historical Value
The Cathcart Tower is closely associated with the defence of British North America and Canada in the mid-19th century. The tower is one of four Martello towers representing part of the final phase of Kingston area defence works, which had commenced with the establishment of Fort Frontenac by the French in 1673. The final phase of construction was spurred by the Oregon Crisis, during which war between Great Britain and the United States seemed imminent. The crisis was resolved while the Kingston Towers were under construction and there was no need to arm them until 1861-62 when British-American relations again deteriorated during the American Civil War. The Cathcart Tower therefore represents pre-Confederation efforts to maintain sovereignty during a period of American expansion.

Architectural Value
The Cathcart Tower is valued for its excellent aesthetics and as an example of a 19th-century military defensive structure. Designed to withstand bombardment while providing cover fire to protect the harbour, it is massive and extremely stable. A key component in the Kingston historic fortification system, the Cathcart Tower represents the apex of Martello tower design, with its sophisticated caponiered flank defence and masking from cannonade that ranked among the most technologically advanced in the world. Excellent functional design is evidenced in the tower’s thick walls, while the brick lined interior minimises the chance of explosion and fire. Excellent craftsmanship and materials are evidenced in the smooth-faced limestone walls and the masonry of the caponiers.

Environmental Value
The Cathcart Tower reinforces the historic character of Cedar Island. A visible component of the fortifications, it can be seen from Fort Henry and passing boats. The structure is a landmark to local people and to visitors to the island.

Sources: Cathcart Martello Tower, Cedar Island, St. Lawrence Islands National Park, Ontario, Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office, Report 93-034; Cathcart Martello Tower, St. Lawrence Islands National Park, Ontario, Heritage Character Statement 93-034.

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Cathcart Tower should be respected.

Its excellent aesthetics, its excellent functional design, and excellent craftsmanship and materials, for example: the simple geometric massing of the cylindrical tower with four evenly spaced caponiers around the base, and the shallow, conical snow roof that covers the parapet and gun platform; the massively constructed, smooth, steep exterior walls built of tightly fitting limestone blocks, the rubble core, and the brick-lined interior with structural masonry ceiling vaults springing radially from the central pier to the exterior walls; the small windows and entrance on the second level that houses the barrack, and the embrasures for defence by carronades; the ventilated powder magazine located in a well-ventilated, brick-lined basement room; the solid metal inner doors equipped with gun loopholes that protect the passageways into the main structure; the cistern within the tower and the kitchen and storage facilities.

The manner in which the Cathcart Tower reinforces the historic character of Cedar Island, and is a regional landmark as evidenced by: its design and materials, which contribute to its historic surroundings on Cedar Island; its visibility to visitors to the island, to passing boats, and to visitors over in Fort Henry.

Heritage Character Statement

Disclaimer - The heritage character statement was developed by FHBRO to explain the reasons for the designation of a federal heritage building and what it is about the building that makes it significant (the heritage character). It is a key reference document for anyone involved in planning interventions to federal heritage buildings and is used by FHBRO in their review of interventions.

The Cathcart Martello Tower on Cedar Island, Saint Lawrence Island National Park (SLINP), was constructed in 1846-48 and equipped with armaments in 1861-62. It was built by the Royal Engineers under the supervision of Sir Richard Bonnycastle. The roof is a reconstruction by Parks Canada. The building can be viewed from the exterior by visitors to Cedar Island. Parks Canada is the custodian. It is part of the Kingston Martello Towers National Historic Site. See FHBRO Building Report 93-34.

Reasons for Designation
The Cathcart Martello Tower was designated Classified primarily for its architectural and engineering design, but also for its historical and environmental qualities.

Although essentially obsolete by the time of its completion, the tower represents the apex of Martello tower design, with its sophisticated caponiered flank defence and masking from cannonade that ranked among the most technologically advanced in the world. The design, typical of martello towers, is predicated on advances in military engineering, local conditions and the availability of materials rather than on architectural style or ornamentation. Notwithstanding, the Cathcart Tower is an aesthetically pleasing example of its functional type.

The Cathcart Tower is one of four Martello towers representing part of the final phase of Kingston area defence works which had commenced with the establishment of Fort Frontenac by the French in 1673. This final phase of construction was spurred by the Oregon Crisis, during which war between Great Britain and the United States seemed imminent. The crisis was resolved while the Kingston towers were under construction and there was no need to arm them until 1861-62 when British-American relations again soured during the American Civil War. The Cathcart Tower therefore also represents pre-Confederation efforts to maintain sovereignty during a period of American expansion.

The Cathcart Martello Tower is an important component of Kingston's historic fortification system. Its relationship with Fort Henry and with the Shoal and Fort Frederick Martello Towers has remained unchanged since its construction. As a landmark, the tower is an unassertive but visible component of the fortifications. It can be seen from Fort Henry, and passing tour boats feature it in their commentary. Most visitors to Cedar Island will make the tower a destination point.

Character Defining Elements
The heritage character of the Cathcart Martello Tower resides in its highly evolved functional design and quality of craftsmanship and materials, as well as in its relationships with its environment.

The Cathcart Tower is a two-storey, masonry structure, roughly cylindrical in form, and clad in smooth-faced limestone. Its footprint is 12-sided at grade, becoming circular as it rises, with four evenly spaced caponiers. The roof, a reconstruction, is conical, with twelve hips rising to a central point. There are small, recessed, shuttered windows at mid-height. The simplicity of the massing including the roof is an important character-defining feature to be maintained.

The design of the tower reflects its basic function to withstand bombardment while providing cover fire to protect the harbour. It is massive and extremely stable, the entire structure except for the roof being built of masonry. The exterior wall has an average thickness of eight feet facing Fort Henry and fourteen feet on the opposite side. Smooth and steep, these walls would have been impossible to scale. The caponiers were designed such that if breached, there were solid metal inner doors equipped with gun loopholes, blocking off the passage ways. The masonry parapet at roof level protected heavy guns. Such functional design features are crucial to the interpretation of the structure and should be protected.

Internal design features include the structural masonry ceiling vaults springing radially from the central pier to the exterior walls. The interior barrack or second floor is embrasured for defence by carronades. The only entrance is through a double reinforced door opening into this second level of the tower. To prevent internal explosion, the interior is lined in brick thereby minimizing the use of metal and wood which could cause sparks and provide combustible material. As further precautionary measures, the powder magazine is located in a well-ventilated, brick-lined basement room. The pump or cistern within the tower, along with kitchen and storage facilities would have supported a garrison under siege. It is important to retain all such historic features, inside and out, as these embody the theory of Martello tower design.

The Cathcart Tower, like the other Kingston towers, is noteworthy for the quality of its masonry. The exterior of the perimeter wall is constructed of ashlar limestone with a rubble core and a brick masonry lining at the interior. Local Kingston limestone is used and the quality of craftsmanship is very good. While the exterior stonework has been well maintained, the interior brick masonry and interstitial rubble wall poses a difficult technical problem due to internal moisture which is not easily controlled. Ongoing study and careful remedial action through sound conservation practice is recommended. The tower would benefit from continued cyclical maintenance including repointing using appropriate mortar mixes and point profiles.

Wooden elements include the roof, some floor elements and shuttered openings. The roof, although a reconstruction, is an important interpretive feature and provides weather protection for the building. Wood and materials other than masonry should be kept to a minimum to reflect the original concern for fire hazard and to maintain the simple, stark appearance of the tower.

Although trees have grown on the plain around the tower and an observation deck added, the site remains essentially intact. The ditch and counterscarp, constructed two years after the tower was completed, are early and important historic landscape features. The stabilization of the crumbling portions of the counterscarp is warranted. The current practice of mowing grass around the tower and preventing the encroachment of trees in the ditch and on the counterscarp are of benefit in stabilizing the site features and protecting relationships.

The Cathcart Tower is a key component in the Kingston historic fortification system. Its relationship with Fort Henry and with both the Fort Frederick and Shoal Towers has remained unchanged since construction. Maintaining the original sight lines to Fort Henry and the Fort Frederick tower would protect its value as a component of the historic fortifications. Similarly, maintaining the sight lines to the Shoal Tower during winter and the shoulder seasons when foliage does not obstruct the view is recommended. Any development that would impact on the Cathcart Tower's relationship to the other fortifications or compromise the strategic sightlines should be discouraged.