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Between 1805 and 1810, 74 Martello towers were built on the south coast in response to the threat of invasion by Napoleonic France. These were brick towers, mounting a single artillery piece, located to defend likely landing beaches. Today only 26 remain, and many have been converted into houses, a few are museums, and many are derelict. Nearly all are Scheduled Ancient Monuments. EH commissioned a report on the towers as a first step in the preparation of a collective management strategy for the monuments. The study examined the surviving towers and ranked them by completeness and condition; outline repair schedules were prepared for those not already in a secure use, and guidance was prepared on the issues to be faced in achieving acceptable conversion of these towers to a new use (including residential conversions). The study will inform future decisions about the scheduled monuments, and a review of their statutory protection is under way; it is now possible to take a strategic view on which are suitable for conversion to a new use and which should be retained as historic monuments. This is particularly important in the context of scheduled monument consent issues and requests for grants from ourselves and the Heritage Lottery Fund. A new trust has been formed for the preservation of Martello towers and the study will be used to help guide its future actions, alongside those of the Ministry of Defence, which continues to own six towers.