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FORT
BERKELEY
THE
FORT
Fort
Berkeley is placed on the peninsula that forms the west entrance
to English Harbour.
It was the first part of English Harbour to be fortified..
The Fort was started in 1704, 21 years before the Dockyard was
built.
Its defences were later extended in the 1740's.
In this str ategic position, the Fort commanded the entrance
to the anchorage, where naval captains had been careening their
ships and sheltering from hurricanes since the 1670's.
On
approaching the Fort from the footpath
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that
starts at the Dockyard dinghy wharf, a stone quarry may be seen
to the right.
It was here that building material for the Fort was mined.
Further on, to the right is the fortified line that was known
as the '' Charles Line''.
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DEFENCE
OF THE HARBOUR
Twenty
nine cannons were once positioned along the ramparts of this
Fort.
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The
sole survivor is a 24 pounder sea-service cannon that was made
in Scotland during the reign of George III (ea 1805).
Weighing 25 tons, it took 11 men, plus a powder man, to handle
this weapon.
When loaded with an 8lb charge, it fired a 24 lb (5054'' diameter
ball 1,5 miles.
To prevent intruders or enemy vessels from entering the Dockyard,
a chain was extended across the Harbour entrance from Fort Berkeley
to Fort Charolette on the other side.
It was secured to the upended cannon that can still be seen embedded
in the rocks at the water front. |
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THE
POWDER
MAGAZINE
The
first Building you see on the left is the powder magazine.
This bomb-proof structure, built in 1811 once held 300 barrels
of gun powder.
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THE
GUARD
HOUSE
Detachments
from various regiments based at the numerous larger fortifications
in the area, were stationed at Fort
Berkeley.
An interesting reference to this post in Oliver's History (1898),
states, ''The guard was in great distress, the allowance of
9 pence a day not being suifficient at such a cold post to buy
more than warm liquor''.
The guard house was restored in 1989.
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PILLARS
OF HERCULESE
A
part
of this natural rock phenomenon, caused by wind erosion, may
be seen from Fort Berkeley.
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Perhaps
it is best seen from Snapper Point, or approaching the harbour
from the east.
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