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Once a Defense Against Napoleon, Now a Doomsday Escape

Built in the early 1800s as a defense against seaborne invaders, this stone tower is one of several along England's southeastern coastline. One such structure is currently used as a boarding house by the Landmark Trust, but this one has a slightly loftier configuration. After it was purchased by designer Duncan Jackson, the derelict "Marcello Tower" was transformed over 10 years into a surprisingly modern family home, with three bedrooms and a brand new vaulted roof that turned the flat former roof into the main living space. Retention and preservation of the original brickwork earned the praise of historic preservationists, and CNBC recently included it in a round-up of perfect doomsday homes, saying "with its 360-degree views of the surrounding fields and waters, the tower is still capable of serving its original function of spotting and fending off attackers."
· Off-Beat Hotels Make Tempting Cases For Temporary Insanity [Curbed National]
· Marcello Tower Y [Billings Jackson]
· Doomsday Homes [CNBC]