Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, Parish of Saint Thomas, St Kitts
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PersonsMD
N 17° 20.834 W 062° 50.159
20Q E 517426 N 1917975
An outstanding British fortress, built by slave labor to exact standards during a peak period of European colonial expansion in the Caribbean. It is an exceptional and well preserved example of 17th and 18th century British military architecture.
Waymark Code: WM87FY
Location: Saint Kitts and Nevis
Date Posted: 02/14/2010
Views: 7
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?Known as the “Gibraltar of the West Indies” and covering 38 acres “Brimstone Hill Fortress” was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list on June 29,1999. It was included in the listing because of its historical, cultural and architectural significance. It is also considered a monument to the skill of the British engineers who designed and managed the construction. Lastly represents the sacrifice and courage of the African slaves who labored in bondage to build and maintain the fort.
The initial occupation of the area was by the British in 1690 with the placement of cannon to press the French who had captured near-by Fort Charles. The fort was occupied by both British and French forces. 8,000 French troops took Brimstone Hill in January 1782. However the Treaty of Versailles of 1783 returned the fort to the British and initiated new construction and fortification of the defenses of the fort.
“The Fortress in general is of singular importance as being the remains of a large, complete military community of the 18th Century and Napoleonic periods, unaltered by later developments. As such, it is a veritable time capsule of international significance.”
Included in the site is Fort George which is the earliest surviving examples of the British style of fortification known as the Polygonal System. Fort George is the best example of this fortification style anywhere in the former British Empire.
The fortification is nearly 800 feet from the beaches below and provides views of both the windward and leeward sides of the island. The structures are made mostly of local stone and coral fixed by mortar and cement made from the limestone found near the location.
One of the more astounding features of the complex is the water collection, distribution and storage facilities. This system is comprised of complex water catchments that draw rainfall into a system of cisterns and distribution points. The paved catchment system consists of more than 16,000 square feet of surface area and three underground cisterns and a single open water storage tank. The system is capable of storing more than 250,000 gallons of water.
The British abandoned the fortress in 1853. All wooden buildings were auctioned for the value of their lumber. Natural vegetation took over the fortress with some sporadic efforts to contain this damaging effect. In 1965 the Society for the Restoration of Brimstone Hill was formed. Through the efforts of this group and others several reconstruction and preservation efforts were made.
Today the complex includes the following structures: Barrier Redoubt; North-West Work; South-East Work; Curtain Wall; Prince of Wales Bastion; Infantry Officers Quarters; Grand Water Catchment; Artillery Officers Quarters; Commissariat Yard; North-East Work; Fort George; the Museum; Fort Adjutants Quarters; Lime Kiln.
Sources Used:
UNESCO Advisory Board Evaluation
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