Forgotten King's Tower on Delft Island

Known as Ilha das Vacas by the Portuguese, the island was occupied by them and a fort was constructed there. The Dutch subsequently named it Delft Island, while the Tamil population knows it as Neduntheevu or Neduntivu. Delft is the largest island in the Palk Strait in northern Sri Lanka. Covering approximately 11,500 acres (4,654 hectares), it is a low-lying, arid island that is largely bare and offers little shade. The Palmyra palm is the most common tree on the island, and Palmyra toddy is one of the principal food products of Delft.

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The island has been occupied successively by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British. Apart from the Portuguese Fort, many of the surviving ruins on the island date from the Dutch and British periods. Delft Island also served as an important horse-breeding center from the Portuguese period through the periods of Dutch and British rule.

Queen’s Tower and King’s Tower

Among the archaeological heritage of the island, the Queen’s Tower, located along the southeastern ridge of Delft Island, is particularly popular with visitors. It is a well-preserved trigonometric station constructed by the British. Less well known, however, is the existence of another trigonometric station on the island known as the King’s Tower.

Very little has been documented about the King’s Tower. However, W. H. Cole recorded in 1884 that two triangulation stations had been observed on Delft Island in 1876. One was located at the northwestern end of the island, while the other stood at its southeastern point. The southeastern station corresponds to the Queen’s Tower known today, while the northwestern station is believed to have been the King’s Tower.

Based on Cole’s observations, the King’s Tower stood approximately 14 feet (4.3 meters) above sea level and consisted of a platform of loose stones and sand surrounding a solid circular masonry pillar. The pillar had a diameter of approximately 5½ feet (1.7 meters) and rose 1 foot (0.3 meters) above ground level. It was constructed on a foundation measuring 8 feet (2.4 metres) in diameter and 3 feet (0.9 metres) deep. The pillar contained two survey marks, one flush with its upper surface and another positioned 1 foot (0.3 meters) below it.

By 2013, it was reported that only the basement or foundation remains of the former King’s Tower survived.

References

Lewis, J., 1909. NOTES ON DELFT. The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland, 21(62), pp.341-360.
S. de A. Goonatilake, S. Ekanayake, T.P. Kumara, D. Liyanapathirana, D.K. Weerakoon and A. Wadugodapitiya, 2013. Sustainable Development of Delft Island: An ecological, socio-economic and archaeological assessment. Number 14. Colombo: IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Colombo.
1890. Account of the Operations of the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India Volume 13 – Details of the Principal Triangulation of Five of the Component Series of the Southern Trigon. 1st ed. India: Office of the Trigonometrical Branch, Survey Of India, p.16g.

Also See

Map of King’s Tower on Delft Island

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Traveling Directions to Jaffna (King’s Tower on Delft Island)

Jaffna can be reached through two principal routes. The most commonly used approach is via Elephant Pass, which has long served as the traditional gateway to the Jaffna Peninsula.

An alternative route reaches Jaffna from the direction of Pooneryn by crossing the Sangupiddy Bridge. This crossing follows what was historically the ancient route to the peninsula before the construction of modern highways. The route provides a connection between Jaffna and the Mannar region.

Route 01 from Colombo to Jaffna Through Kurunegala (Popular Route)	Route 02 from Colombo to Jaffna Through Puttalam and Pooneryn (Lesser Traveled Route)
Through : Kurunegala – Dambulla – Anuradhapura – Vavuniya Distance: 410 km Travel Time: 7-8 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.	Through: Puttalam – Thantirimale – Mannar – Poonaryn Distance: 408 km Travel Time: 8 hours Driving Directions: see on Google Maps.

From Jaffna to King’s Tower on Delft Island

Total distance: 32 km
Duration: With boat trip (between 2-3 hours)
Driving directions: See Google Map (Kurikadduwan Jetty)

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