Fort Burt facts for kids
Fort Burt is an old fort located on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. It sits on the southwest edge of Road Town, looking over the Road Reef Marina. Today, the site is a hotel and restaurant, and most of the original fort is gone. However, you can still see one of the original cannons on the hotel's balcony, watching over the harbour.
Contents
The History of Fort Burt
Early Days and Dutch Settlers
Some people think the first version of Fort Burt was built by Dutch settlers a long time ago. But we are not completely sure about this. Old Spanish records from that time mention other forts on Tortola that they attacked, but they don't mention Fort Burt. This is a bit strange because the Spanish would have passed right by where Fort Burt is now.
British Construction and Purpose
Many historians believe the main part of Fort Burt was built or rebuilt by the British in 1776. This was at the start of the American Revolutionary War, when the American colonies fought for their independence from Britain. The fort was named after William Mathew Burt, who was the Governor of the Leeward Islands from 1776 to 1781.
Fort Burt was an important part of a strong defence system around Road Town. Other forts nearby included Road Town Fort, Fort George, and Fort Charlotte. These forts worked together to protect the harbour and the town from attacks.
Fort Burt's Role in Defence
A Peaceful History
Even though Fort Burt was built to defend the island, it never actually fired its cannons in a real battle while under British control. The strong forts around Road Town, combined with Tortola not being a super important or rich island, meant that other countries and even pirates decided to attack different places instead. They probably thought it was too difficult to capture Tortola.
From Fort to Hotel
Over time, the fort fell apart. In 1953, a man named Commander Christopher Hammersley and his wife bought the land. They built what was then the only hotel on Tortola. The hotel has been owned by different people since then. Today, it is part of the Pusser's chain of hotels and restaurants.
