Fort Campbell - Selmun, Malta - Outer Defensive Walls and Abandoned Military Buildings

A view along the outer limestone walls of Fort Campbell in Selmun, Malta, showing abandoned military buildings, terraced stonework and vegetation overlooking the coastline of St Paul’s Bay.

This photograph captures part of the outer perimeter of Fort Campbell on the Selmun peninsula in northern Malta. A long limestone wall follows the contours of the hillside, with a row of abandoned military buildings visible behind it. The structures feature repeated rectangular openings and weathered stonework, while sections of the surrounding walls appear damaged or partially collapsed. In the foreground, wild grasses, shrubs and a cut tree stump occupy the uneven rocky terrain. Below the fortifications, substantial dry-stone retaining walls support the terraced hillside, demonstrating how the military complex was integrated into the existing landscape. Beyond the buildings, the coastline of St Paul’s Bay and the distant settlements on the opposite shore are visible beneath a lightly clouded Mediterranean sky.

Fort Campbell was constructed by the British between 1937 and 1938 as part of Malta’s coastal defence system shortly before the Second World War. Situated on the Selmun peninsula, the fort was equipped with three 6-inch coastal artillery guns intended to protect the northern maritime approaches to Malta. Its architectural design was unusual compared with the massive bastioned fortifications built during earlier centuries. Rather than presenting a prominent defensive outline, Fort Campbell was deliberately arranged to resemble the surrounding agricultural countryside. Its perimeter followed an irregular course, while relatively low limestone walls, dispersed buildings and terraced ground helped reduce the installation’s visibility from aerial observation. The buildings visible in this photograph may have formed part of the fort’s accommodation or supporting military facilities, providing space for personnel and the everyday operations of the coastal artillery battery. Their exact original function, however, would require confirmation from a detailed historical plan. The perimeter walls also helped define and secure the military compound, although their appearance was intended to blend with the traditional field boundaries of rural Malta. Following the end of the fort’s military service, the complex was abandoned, and many of its structures gradually deteriorated through weathering, damage and the removal of reusable materials. Vegetation has since spread across the former military grounds, further integrating the ruins into the surrounding landscape. This photograph illustrates the distinctive relationship between Fort Campbell’s military architecture and the natural terrain of the Selmun peninsula, preserving a view of its surviving outer walls and abandoned buildings.