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Road Town Fort

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370: 194: 130: 33: 160:. The fort subsequently fell into ruin, and in the 1960s the Bougainvillea clinic (known locally as the Purple Palace for fairly obvious reasons) was built on top of the old structure. The strong room of the original fort, which was once the Territory's treasury, still survives today, and is now used as a storeroom by the clinic. 201:
It is possible that the Road Town Fort was built on the remains of an earlier Dutch stockade; it is known that two forts erected by the British in Road Town were built on what were thought (by them) to be earlier Dutch sites, but they are believed to be Fort Burt and Fort George. However, some
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historians are less sure about Fort Burt (as it does not tie in with Spanish records relating to their attacks on Tortola in the 17th century) and it may be that one of the former Dutch stockades lies under Road Town Fort. Fort Charlotte was built on an earlier Dutch look-out post.
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alike to focus on other targets within the region. Given the prevalence of the attacks on Road Town by Spanish privateers prior to the re-fortification of Road Town, the Road Town Fort could be said to have fulfilled its role it was intended for despite the absence of battle.
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The clinic was built by a British surgeon, Dr Robin Tattersall; Dr Tattersal's then-wife, Jill Tattersall is noted local historian who has written widely on the history of the Territory, although never, ironically, on Road Town
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Road Town Fort never actually engaged in combat. The combination of the formidable martial defences of Road Town, and relatively small strategic and economic importance of Tortola persuaded both foreign colonial powers and
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The clinic is a private clinic, and there is no general public access to the remains of the structure. However, from Main Street below, looking up, one can still see some of the remains of the outer wall.
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Road Town Fort formed part of a formidable defensive network of forts around Road Town erected at this time. Road Town itself was triangulated with
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the fort was eventually abandoned as the Territory sank into economic decline, and the expense of its upkeep could no longer be justified.
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However, the main fortification was built by the British in the late 18th century around the outbreak of the
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as part of the general upgrade of the fortifications of Road Town, and it was garrisoned throughout the
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above the town's main wharf. In historical records it is sometimes referred to as
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at the eastern entrance, Road Town Fort in the middle above the main jetty, and
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The Bougainvillea clinic, built on the foundations of Road Town Fort.
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Some of the original walls remain visible from Main Street below.
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Fort Road Town

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fort
Road Town
Tortola
British Virgin Islands
American war of independence
Napoleonic Wars
abolition of slavery
Fort Burt
Fort George
Fort Charlotte

privateers
pirates
History of the British Virgin Islands
The BVI's formidable forts
Bougainvillea clinic
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