Fort Charlotte, Tortola facts for kids
Fort Charlotte is an old fort located high up on Harrigan's Hill in Tortola, which is one of the British Virgin Islands. This fort was named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. She was the wife of King George III.
History of Fort Charlotte
The British Royal Engineers built Fort Charlotte in 1794. It stands about 947 feet (289 meters) above Road Town. The fort was built on top of an older wooden lookout post. This post was likely first built by the privateer Joost van Dyk.
Fort Charlotte was not a traditional stone fort. It was made mostly of earth. But its high location was very important. No enemy ship's cannon could fire up at it. The only way to capture the fort was for soldiers to climb the steep hill. They would have to do this while being shot at by muskets and cannons.
Defending Road Harbour
Fort Charlotte was part of a special defense system. This system protected Road Harbour. On the southwest side of the harbor was Fort Burt. Fort George was on the west. Road Town Fort was in between them.
Fort Charlotte sat high above all of them. Its cannons could reach any ship entering the harbor. The fort could fire without fear of being hit back. Any ship trying to attack Road Town would face fire from Fort Charlotte. They would also be shot at by either Fort Burt or Fort George. To actually fight back, enemy soldiers would need to land. Then they would have to climb Harrigan's Hill with their weapons. This climb was nearly 900 feet (274 meters) high.
Road Town became the capital of the British Virgin Islands. This was mainly because it was easy to defend. Other places like Soper's Hole had better anchorages. But Road Town was safer during a time of many conflicts.
Tortola had been attacked by Spanish pirates in 1685. Pirates even took over Tortola for a few days in 1686. But after Fort Charlotte was built, Tortola was never attacked again.
The British Virgin Islands were not very rich. Also, their defenses were strong. This meant that other countries and pirates did not want to attack them. Fort Charlotte helped keep the islands safe for a long time.
Fort Charlotte Today
Today, Fort Charlotte is mostly a ruin. Only a few old walls remain. There is also a water tank (cistern) and an underground storage room for gunpowder. The area around the fort is very overgrown with plants. For safety, the government has sealed off the cistern. This stops visitors from accidentally falling in.
Visiting the Fort
There is no road directly to Fort Charlotte. You have to hike to get there. The hike is easier now than it used to be. The government built a road part of the way up the hill. But it is still a good climb. During the rainy season, you might need a machete to clear the path. The path is often covered in thick bushes.
Like many old buildings in the British Virgin Islands, Fort Charlotte is on private land. There is no official public path to the fort yet. However, the landowners usually allow tourists and students to hike across their land. The government has said it wants to make Fort Charlotte easier to visit. But no action has been taken so far.
