Valleseco Battery

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Memory · Subcategory: Sites of memory · Year: 1657 · Authors: Juan de Somavilla y Tejada

Due to the real threats of attack by the English navy commanded by Robert Blake, in December 1656, the Captain General of the Canary Islands, Alonso Dávila y Guzmán, ordered the military engineer Juan de Somavilla y Tejada to erect two batteries to be located at the mouth of the Valleseco and Bufadero ravines, towards the north of the city, beyond the Paso Alto castle.

The one built in Valleseco was completed on 16 March 1657. It was armed with eight iron cannons from one of the ships of the Indies fleet which at that time, under the command of Admiral Diego de Egues, had taken refuge in the Santa Cruz roadstead due to the threat of the English navy that was lurking.

Like its neighbour at Bufadero, this battery took part in the defence of Santa Cruz against Blake's attack at the end of April 1657. Little else is known about the defensive construction. It probably disappeared due to its provisional nature, in an unstable location between the sea and the ravine outlet.

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