Fort Recovery, Tortola facts for kids
Fort Recovery is an old fort on the island of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. People often called it Tower Fort in the past. Even today, the area around it is still known as "Towers." There is now a hotel built around this historic tower.
History of Fort Recovery
The fort started as a simple earth structure. It was likely built around 1620 by a Dutch privateer named Joost van Dyk. A privateer was like a pirate, but they had permission from their government to attack enemy ships. Joost van Dyk probably built the fort when a peace agreement between the Dutch and the Spanish in Puerto Rico ended.
Between 1623 and 1630, Fort Recovery might have been used as a place for soldiers to rest and get better when they were hurt or sick. This is probably why it was named "Fort Recovery."
The fort was later left empty when the islands became less important after the British took control in 1672. However, during a time of many wars, from the American Revolutionary War to the Napoleonic Wars, the fort was rebuilt. When the British rebuilt it, they added a special round tower called a Martello Tower. This tower helped make up for the cannons not being on high ground.
In the early 1800s, the fort fell apart again. The main wars were happening in Europe, not the colonies. Also, the islands did not have enough money to keep the fort in good shape. It is also possible that the fort was built to protect a source of fresh water. If that water source dried up, the fort would no longer be needed. There is no fresh water pond there today.
Design and Location
Fort Recovery is built like a tower. It is one of the earliest examples of a Martello tower. These types of forts were used a lot along the British coast during the Napoleonic Wars.
The fort's location is a bit unusual. It is built very close to the sea, on flat ground. Most forts are built on high hills for a better view and defence. Also, it is not close to a main port or a large town.
Some people think the fort was built to protect a freshwater pond nearby. This makes sense because Tortola does not have rivers, so wells and ponds were very important.
Another idea is that the fort was built to protect a path. This path connected Soper's Hole to Pockwood Pond and Road Town. Spanish attackers had landed in Soper's Hole before and then travelled overland to Pockwood Pond and Road Town. It would have been hard to defend Soper's Hole from Spanish cannons. But a fort on the overland path could slow down an attack. This might have prevented another terrible event like the one in 1646. However, this idea does not explain why the fort was not built on higher ground. It is also not clear if the fort was built before or after the attacks of 1646 and 1647. It seems more likely it was built before.
