Fort Frederick
Ridge-top fort above St George's whose guns face inland, begun by the French in 1779.
Fort Frederick crowns Richmond Hill, roughly 240 metres above St George's, and was begun by the French in 1779 after they retook Grenada from Britain. The British completed the works in the following decade. It is known locally as the backwards fort because most of its guns point inland towards the surrounding ridges rather than out to sea: earlier fighting had shown that an attacker was more likely to come overland than to force the harbour.
The fort is arranged on four levels, with a parade and powder magazine at the top, cisterns and gun platforms below, and a network of tunnels for stores. No shot was ever fired from it in anger. Nearby stand the remains of Fort Matthew and Fort Adolphus. During the People's Revolutionary Government of 1979 to 1983 the fort was used as a military headquarters, and the Revolutionary Military Council was based here in October 1983. The ramparts give wide views over the town and the Carenage.
Highlights
- Begun by the French in 1779 and completed under British rule
- Guns laid out to face inland, giving it the name the backwards fort
- Four levels with parade, magazine, cisterns and storage tunnels
- Used as a military headquarters during the revolution of 1979 to 1983
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