(Click photos to enlarge).From the information sign outside the fort:
"The fort was built following a raid on Fishguard in 1779; the privateer vessel Black Prince demanded £1,000 to return a captured local ship and as a ransom for the town. When this was refused it bombarded Fishguard, damaging St. Mary's Church and some houses.
"As Fishguard was a prosperous port, protection was vital. The fort was completed in 1781; armed with eight 9-pounder guns manned by three invalid gunners from Woolwich, it became the headquarters of the Fishguard Fencibles.
"On 22nd February 1797, an invading French force appeared off the coast. Alarm guns were fired from the fort, but the Fencibles were withdrawn from the building which played no further part in the invasion.
"Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, Fishguard Fort fell into disrepair. It is now owned and maintained by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority."
Below is a view of the fort as seen from the other side of the harbour.
Below is a view of what is now known as Lower Fishguard and the actual harbour that was being guarded. This is not to be confused with the much larger commercial harbour from which the ferries to Ireland depart.
Date visited: 10 April 2009.
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It would be great to spend holidays in pembrokeshire having seen those wonderful pictures. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteHhhhmmmm... spamming blogs now, eh? And to think I applied for a job in marketing with Bluestone and was rejected out of hand. Hey, I could do that!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, thanks for sharing :)
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