Castle Islands Fortifications, Bermuda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Castle Islands Fortifications, Bermuda |
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Captain John Smith's 1624 map of Bermuda, showing contemporary fortifications
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| Location | Castle Harbour, Bermuda |
| Built | 17th Century |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iv |
| Designated | 2000 (24th session) |
| Part of | Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda |
| Reference no. | 983 |
| Region | Europe and North America |
The islands at the southern entrance of Castle Harbour in Bermuda were once heavily protected. This is how the harbour got its name! When England officially started settling Bermuda in 1612, the first main town was St. George's. It was first called New London.
St. George's was built on the north side of St. George's Harbour. You could reach this harbour from the east through channels. But these channels were shallow, only good for small ships. Because of this, Castle Harbour became a very important place for ships to anchor. Its main entrance, Castle Roads, was a key route from the open Atlantic Ocean.
However, Castle Harbour was far from St. George's defences. This made it a weak spot. So, it was quickly fortified with strong defences. A group of local soldiers, called a militia, was stationed there.
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Building the First Forts
The first English settlers arrived in 1612. They were sent by the London Company, which also settled Virginia. They started building forts around St. George's Harbour. But by the end of 1612, they began work on Castle Harbour's defences.
The first fort was on Castle Island. This island was previously known as Gurnett's Head and King's Island. As a quick fix, two cannons were taken from the Sea Venture shipwreck of 1609. One of these cannons was put on Castle Island in 1612.
Governor Richard Moore soon ordered proper forts to be built.
King's Castle: A Historic Landmark
King's Castle is a very special fort. Today, it is the oldest surviving English fort in the New World. It is also Bermuda's oldest stone building. It was built even before the State House.
The Captain's House at King's Castle was built in 1621. This makes it the oldest stone home in Bermuda. It is also the oldest standing English house in the New World.
In 1614, King's Castle became famous. It successfully defended Bermuda from Spain's only attack. The fort fired two shots from its cannons. Even though they missed, the Spanish ship left. The Spanish sailors didn't know the fort only had enough ammunition for one more shot!
This fort was used by Bermuda's military until the Second World War. Soldiers lived in tents inside its walls. They watched over the channels with machine guns.
Other Important Forts
Many other forts were built at the south end of Castle Harbour. These included:
- Devonshire Redoubt (built in 1620)
- Landward Fort (also on Castle Island)
- Southampton Fort (built in 1620) on Brangman's Island
- Old Castle, or Charles' Fort (built in 1615) on Goat Island
- Pembroke Fort on Cooper's Island
- Fort Bruere on the Main Island
Forts at Ferry Reach
At Ferry Reach, on the north side of Castle Harbour, more forts were built. This area is now separated by The Causeway. These forts included:
- Burnt Point Fort (or Ferry Point Battery) in 1688
- Ferry Island Fort in the 1790s
- A Martello Tower in 1822
The British Army built Ferry Island Fort and the Martello Tower. The British had a permanent military base, called the Bermuda Garrison, after the US became independent.
The Castle Islands: A World Heritage Site
The chain of islands across the south of Castle Harbour, including Castle Island, are often called the Castle Islands. Their forts are the oldest surviving English forts in the New World. This is mainly because they were built from stone. Other English forts built around the same time in North America were made of wood and earth.
These were also the very first English coastal forts in the New World. Captain John Smith wrote about and drew these forts in his 1624 book, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles.
Because of their important history, these forts are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are part of the "Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda" site. This site also includes St. George's Town and other nearby forts, like Fort St. Catherine.
Gallery
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Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers camp at Tucker's Town, in 1867, with Castle Island forts in the background
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Ruined King's Castle ("Queen's Castle" during the reigns of Queens Anne and Victoria, and also called "Seaward Fort") on Castle Island
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The Parish of St. George's, in 1676. Castle Island lies to the South of Castle Harbour (originally Southampton Harbour).
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Martello Tower seen from Ferry Island Fort, Ferry Reach, Bermuda 2011
