Fort James

Fort James

Fort James is a fort at the entrance to the harbor of St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda. The fort was built to guard St. John's harbor and is one of many forts built by the British in the 18th century. The construction was justified by fear of French invasion. It is situated on a cliff overlooking the town to the north-west. An ammunition store, several cannons and the foundations of the fort's walls remain. Today the main attraction is the excellent view of the surrounding harbor. The fort was named after King James II of England. Work on the fort began in 1706 and most of the buildings were completed in 1739. The fort was armed with 36 guns in 1773 and had barracks for 75 men. In the 19th century, a cannon was used to salute visiting warships and to sound signals at sunrise and sunset.