Fort Charles, also called Cleverley Point Fort, is a historic British colonial

fort A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

(est. 1670) site on the island of St. Kitts, located in the present day nation of

Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis (), officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is an island country and microstate consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands chain ...

in the Caribbean.

History

It was built on a suitable site, as ships were often becalmed beneath it, when making for Sandy Point Road. It was named after King Charles II, who gave £500 to assist the British

sugar cane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, perennial grass (in the genus '' Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fibrous stalk ...

plantations. The 1690 capture of Fort Charles by the

French Caribbean The French West Indies or French Antilles (french: Antilles françaises, ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Antiy fwansez) are the parts of France located in the Antilles islands of the Caribbean: * The two overseas departments of: ** Guadeloupe, ...

forces was the reason for the construction of the Brimstone Hill Fortress above it, a National Park and

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

which overlooks this site. Charles Fort was a military post from at least 1666, and rebuilt by English Governor Thomas Hill by 1689. By 1736, the fort had 40 guns. The fort was abandoned in 1854. Some forty years later in 1890 it was used as a Hansen Home

leper Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. This nerve damag ...

asylum. Hansen Home was closed in 1996. The fort is now in ruins, completely abandoned and overgrown with tropical vegetation.

External links

Photos #36 to #40, of Fort Charles, St. Kitts island

References

{{coord, 17, 20, 51, N, 62, 50, 16, W, region:KN_type:landmark, display=title Charles, Saint Kitts Saint Kitts (island) Charles, Saint Kitts Leper hospitals 1670 in the Caribbean 1670 establishments in the British Empire 1670 establishments in North America 1670s establishments in the Caribbean 1854 disestablishments in the British Empire 1854 disestablishments in North America

History

See also

External links

References