Fort on High Knoll - St Helena, 1821 - Copy

High Knoll Fort is a

redoubt A redoubt (historically redout) is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort, usually relying on earthworks, although some are constructed of stone or brick. It is meant to protect soldi ...

-style fort of the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...

on Saint Helena, an island and British overseas territory in the

South Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

. High Knoll is above sea level and is approximately one mile (1.6km) south of historic Lower Jamestown. Reopened on 18 December 2010, it is now a tourist attraction for visitors, especially those on the tourist ships that come in the summer (January through April). It looms over Jamestown, and was built to assist in defending the island against potential French invaders, being a

for the islanders. The original fort was built in 1799 as a circular tower, sometimes referred to as a

Martello tower Martello towers, sometimes known simply as Martellos, are small defensive forts that were built across the British Empire during the 19th century, from the time of the French Revolutionary Wars onwards. Most were coastal forts. They stand u ...

, and along the lines of the tower at

Simon's Town Simon's Town ( af, Simonstad), sometimes spelled Simonstown, is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa and is home to Naval Base Simon's Town, the South African Navy's largest base. It is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern ...

in South Africa.Clements (1999), p.115. The purpose of the tower was to protect the rear approaches to the battery at Ladder Hill. The High Knoll tower was incorporated into the present structure, which dates from 1874, when the Royal Engineers rebuilt it.Land Planning and Development Control Ordinance
Appendix 3: Listed Buildings During the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...

, Boer prisoners from South Africa were briefly incarcerated at the Fort. (In addition, there were prisoner-of-war camps at Broadbottom, Deadwood No. 1, Deadwood No.2, and Jamestown.) Much later, the Fort served to quarantine imported chickens, sheep, and cattle. Then in the mid-1980s,

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil List of government space agencies, space program ...

had a technician at the fort who ran a small tracking station. Before it was rebuilt in the late 19th century High Knoll Fort was known as the Citadel. It is the largest, most prominent, and most complete of the forts and military installations on the island. The

Saint Helena National Trust The Saint Helena National Trust is an independent not-for-profit organization which aims to preserve Saint Helena's environmental and cultural heritage. It was founded on 22 May 2002, the 500th anniversary of Saint Helena's discovery. The Patron of ...

have begun a project to restore the fort. It is designated as a Grade I listed building.

Citations

References

*Clements, William H. (1998) ''Towers of Strength: Story of Martello Towers''. (London: Pen & Sword). .

External links

St Helena TourismFlickr
View from inside the redoubt {{coord, -15.9440, -5.7168, type:landmark_region:SH, display=title Grade I listed buildings in Saint Helena History of Saint Helena Properties of the East India Company Forts Second Boer War concentration camps