Fort Charles

Fort Charles was finished in the 1650s and is the oldest surviving fort in Jamaica, the only one of Port Royal's six to come through the 1692 earthquake, though it did not come through unaltered: the ground beneath it shifted and the whole structure now sits at a visible tilt. A raised walk along the seaward wall is called Nelson's Quarterdeck, after Horatio Nelson, who commanded here as a very young officer in the 1770s and reportedly paced it watching for a French fleet. Beside the fort stands the Giddy House, an artillery store thrown permanently off vertical by a later earthquake, whose sloping floor plays havoc with your balance.

What you actually see

• The tilted fort - the whole structure left off level by the earthquake.
• Nelson's Quarterdeck - the seaward walk he is said to have paced.
• The Giddy House - a store leaning so far it disorients anyone inside.
• The maritime museum - objects raised from the sunken town.

When to go

December to April is drier. Mornings are cooler on the exposed gun platform. Opening hours are limited and it has closed for repairs at times, so check before driving out from Kingston.

Honest expectations

It is small and the museum is thin; ninety minutes covers it. Maintenance has been poor and parts have been closed off. There is little shade. The site deserves far more than it currently gets, and visitors expecting a major heritage attraction will find something more modest.

Nearby

Port Royal village surrounds it; boats to Lime Cay leave from the waterfront.