San Rocco Battery () was an

artillery battery In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit or multiple systems of artillery, mortar systems, rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers, surface-to-surface missiles, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, etc., so grouped to f ...

Kalkara Kalkara () is a village in the Port Region of Malta, with a population of 3,014 as of March 2014. The name is derived from the Latin word for lime (Calce), and it is believed that there was a lime kiln present there since Roman times. Kalkara ...

Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...

, built by Maltese insurgents during the

French blockade French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), a ...

of 1798–1800. It was the last in a chain of batteries, redoubts and entrenchments encircling the French positions in

Marsamxett Marsamxett Harbour (), historically also referred to as Marsamuscetto, is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It is located to the north of the larger Grand Harbour. The harbour is generally more dedicated to leisure use than the Grand Ha ...

and the

Grand Harbour The Grand Harbour (; ), also known as the Port of Marsa, is a natural harbour on the island of Malta. It has been substantially modified over the years with extensive docks ( Malta Dockyard), wharves, and fortifications. Description The h ...

. It was built to control the entrance to the harbour as well as the French occupied

Fort Ricasoli Fort Ricasoli () is a bastioned fort in Kalkara, Malta, which was built by the Order of Saint John between 1670 and 1698. The fort occupies a promontory known as Gallows' Point and the north shore of Rinella Bay, commanding the entrance to the G ...

. The battery was continually being fired upon by the French at Fort Ricasoli, which was located about away. The battery was built on a low hillock and had two gun platforms, which were connected together with rubble walls. Around December 1799, a magazine was built by the architect

Michele Cachia Michele Cachia (; 30 September 1760 – 24 January 1839) was a Maltese people, Maltese architect and military engineer. He is also known for his role during the Siege of Malta (1798–1800), Maltese uprising of 1798–1800. Life Michele Cachia ...

at the rear of the battery, with timber beams taken from ruined houses in

Paola Paola is a female given name, the Italian form of the name Paula. In Greek it is Polina. Notable people with the name include: People In arts and entertainment * Paola Del Medico (born 1950), Swiss singer *Paola e Chiara, pop music duo consist ...

. The battery was initially armed with two 6-pounder iron guns. During the course of the siege, the armament was increased to five 12-pounders and two 8-pounders on the upper platform, while the lower platform was armed with four 32-pounders for coastal defence. By the end of the blockade in 1800 it had ten guns and two mortars. At one point, men from the

30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot The 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1702. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot to form the East Lancashire Regiment in 1881. ...

were stationed at San Rocco Battery. In 1799, the British devised an evacuation plan in case a French relief force arrived. British forces were to gather at San Rocco Battery, before retreating to

Żabbar Żabbar ( ), also known as Città Hompesch, is a city in the Port Region, Malta, Port Region of Malta. It is the seventh largest city in the country, with an estimated population of 15,648 as of January 2021. Originally a part of Żejtun, Żabbar ...

under the cover of

San Rocco Redoubt San Rocco Redoubt () was a redoubt in Kalkara, Malta. It was built by Great Britain during the French blockade of 1798-1800. It was part of a chain of batteries, redoubts and entrenchments encircling the French positions in Marsamxett and the ...

. From there, they would retreat to

Żejtun Żejtun ( ) is a town in the Southern Region of Malta, with a population of 11,218 at the end of 2016. Żejtun is traditionally known as Città Beland, a title conferred by the grandmaster of the Order of the Knights of Malta, Ferdinand von ...

, and then to

Fort Rohan Fort San Lucian (), also known as Saint Lucian Tower () or Fort Rohan (), is a large bastioned watchtower and polygonal fort in Marsaxlokk, Malta. The original tower was built by the Order of Saint John between 1610 and 1611, being the second of ...

under the cover of St. Lucian Redoubt. They would embark on their ships in

Marsaxlokk Marsaxlokk () is a small, traditional fishing village in the Southern Region, Malta, Southern Region of Malta. It has a harbour, and is a tourist attraction known for its views, fishing and history. As of March 2014, the village had a populati ...

Harbour and evacuate the island. Like the other French blockade fortifications, San Rocco Battery was dismantled, possibly sometime after 1814. No traces of the battery can be seen today. In the 1870s, the British built

Fort Saint Rocco Fort Saint Rocco (), also known as Fort Saint Roca on some maps, is a polygonal fort in Kalkara, Malta. It is located east of Rinella Battery and seaward of the village of Santu Rokku, and forms part of the complex of shore batteries built by t ...

on the site of the battery.

References

Artillery battery fortifications in Malta Kalkara Military installations established in 1798 Demolished buildings and structures in Malta French occupation of Malta Vernacular architecture in Malta Limestone buildings in Malta 1798 establishments in Malta 18th-century fortifications 18th Century military history of Malta {{Malta-struct-stub