Charles Fort | |
---|---|
Bridgetown, Barbados | |
Coordinates | 13°04′44″N 59°36′46″W / 13.0789°N 59.6127°W |
Type | Fortification |
Site history | |
Built | 1650 |
In use | No |
Materials | Stone |
Charles Fort (originally Needham's Fort) is a historic military fortification and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bridgetown, Barbados. It was originally built in 1650, and rebuilt in 1811. [1] It is located at Needham's Point on the southwestern side of the island, overlooking Carlisle Bay. [2] Today, the fort is located on the grounds of the Hilton Barbados Resort. [3]
In 1650, a fort was constructed at Needham's Point (called Needham's Fort) to protect Carlisle Bay and Bridgetown from enemy attacks. [2] The English Civil War had just ended, and Barbados feared attacks by the British. [4] [5] Oliver Cromwell had just overthrown the British monarchy, but Barbados remained loyal to the royalists and acknowledged the exiled Charles II as King. [4] [5]
In 1651, Needham's Fort helped the local militia in prevent the successful landing of Cromwell’s troops, commanded by George Ayscue. [5] This event resulted in the Charter of Barbados (or Treaty of Oistins) in 1652, [5] [4] which ended the fighting between Barbados and the English Commonwealth. In 1660, when Charles II was reinstated to the British throne, the fort was renamed Charles Fort. [5]
In 1665, Charles Fort successfully defended Barbados from surprise attack by the Dutch, commanded by Michiel De Ruyter. [5] The attack was the closest a foreign power ever came to invading Barbados. [5]
In the 1740s, the fort was further fortified. It was rebuilt in stone and two additional batteries were added on each side. [5]
George Washington visited Fort Charles during his visit to Barbados in 1751-1752. [6] He dined with the Captain at the fort multiple times during his six weeks in Barbados. [7] Charles Fort and Saint Ann's Fort were the first military forts that Washington had ever seen. [8]
The fort was property of the Colony of Barbados until 1836, when it was acquired by the Crown. It was decommissioned in 1905. [5]
In 1966, the remains of the fort were stabilized during the construction of the original Hilton Hotel in Barbados. [5] In 2004, with construction of the Hilton Barbados Resort, additional preservation and restoration measures were undertaken. [9]