Following the outbreak of the War of 1812, it was decided to protect Halifax Harbour with a fortification on Maugher Beach.

In 1815, construction began on a Martello Tower, similar to the one still standing at Point Pleasant, at the seaward tip of Maugher Beach. The fortification, known as Sherbrooke Tower, had walls seven feet thick, with the exterior composed of granite and the interior of brick (Figure 20). Piers notes that Sherbrooke Tower was the first of several such towers built in Halifax that was designed to be bomb-proof. He also believes this is the first definitive use of granite for building in Halifax. The final dimensions of the tower were 33 feet in height and 50 feet in diameter at the base. Originally planned as a two-story structure, a third story was added in 1828 to house a lighthouse. The ground floor was designed to accommodate four guns while three were intended for the second floor. Of the latter, one was to guard the harbour entrance, another faced up the harbour and the third could be aimed in any desired direction.