Fort George

Fort George was built in the 1790s on the George Town shore to defend the harbour against Spanish privateers operating out of Cuba, a small coral rock work with cannon facing the water. It survived until 1972, when most of it was demolished for a development, an act that caused enough outrage to help produce the legislation protecting historic sites in the islands. What remains is a corner of wall with three cannon embrasures, on a small plot beside the waterfront road with an interpretation panel. It also served as a lookout post during the Second World War, when submarines operated in these waters.

The main sights

• The surviving wall - a corner with three cannon embrasures.
• The waterfront setting - directly on the George Town shore.
• The demolition story - the 1972 loss that changed the law.
• The wartime lookout - the fort's twentieth-century use.

When to go

Year-round; it takes ten minutes and is on the waterfront walk through George Town. Cruise days fill the surrounding streets. Any time of day.

Practical notes

There is very little left: a corner of wall and a panel, ten minutes at most. The demolition took the rest. It sits among duty-free shops and cruise traffic. It is worth a stop on a waterfront walk rather than a visit in itself.

Nearby

The National Museum is a few minutes along the waterfront; Elmslie church is nearby.