Graffiti among Fort Hamilton archaeological finds
Pottery, glassware, pipes and coins were among the artefacts unearthed at Fort Hamilton as a significant site improvement project continues.
The remains of a notable drawbridge were also uncovered, as well as a toilet complete with graffiti.
An update on the project was provided by the City of Hamilton as it announced significant work was expected to start soon.
Improvements will involve enhancement of the fort and its surrounding amenities, including a new pergola shade structure, a catering kitchen, upgrade of electrical and water-supply systems, new bathroom facilities, enhanced security, interpretive signage and wi-fi installation, as well as improved landscaping, lighting and accessibility.
The City said: “Works have already been carried out with regards to the removal of invasive plant species, with thousands of invasives being removed since work began in spring of 2023.”
Patrick Cooper, the City engineer, explained that the works were needed to preserve an important part of Bermuda’s history.
He said: “Fort Hamilton is a stunning piece of Bermuda’s heritage and a fascinating chapter in the story of Bermuda’s military history, which we feel should be preserved, enhanced and restored for future generations.
“It’s also a great space which can be better utilised so that its story can be more fully appreciated.”
Florence Laino, a professional archaeologist for ten years, was hired to carry out preliminary archaeological work at the site, as part of permit stipulations from the Department of Planning.
She said: “Fort Hamilton is a truly special monument, and its architecture and archaeology have a unique story to tell in the geopolitical history of Bermuda.
“A number of exploratory trenches were excavated to test for archaeology before any construction work starts at the site.
“These investigations uncovered the buried remains of 19th-century outhouse structures that connected to the guardroom at the fort entrance.
“The remains include walls, drains, floors and material, which suggest that decorative plaster mouldings and cornices on those outhouse structures may have been fashioned to resemble those on the guardroom.
“In addition, a substantial privy made of heavy grey-coloured slate, marked ‘Bermuda’, presumably shipped from the UK, was also found, some etched with graffiti, with what appear to be names and numbers.”
The archaeological project manager, whose earlier work included seasonal excavations investigating the Napoleonic Waterloo battlefield in Belgium as part of the Waterloo Uncovered project, added: “Further excavations near the entrance of the fort revealed the foundation remains of the fort’s ‘rolling Guthrie Bridge’ — at the time a state-of-the-art drawbridge that could retract horizontally, rather than vertically.
“This innovation was installed at several forts around the British Empire, with this example being one of the few such bridges still standing.
“The excavations have also produced many artefacts such as pottery, building material, glassware, tobacco pipes and coins.”
Ms Laino said that the artefacts were being washed and will be analysed by specialists on the island and overseas.
The City added: “All of the findings from the excavation will be collated into a final publication, which will be made publicly available.”
It has worked closely with the Bermuda National Trust throughout the works and said that the charity’s “knowledge and assistance have been integral to the process”, allowing restoration works to be incorporated as part of the overall project.
The City explained: “For instance, the glacis structures, which are steep-sloping defensive structures, will receive attention as well as rebuilding some walls that have been compromised by tree roots.
“These structures have been dismantled, numbered and catalogued so that they can be rebuilt using the same stone blocks in the same locations.
“The Bermuda National Trust has also assisted the City parks section with advice on the careful removal of invasive species at the fort.
“This continues to be a delicate undertaking as many of the root systems are entrenched in the fort structures and careful removal as well as ongoing management strategies are required to avoid damage to the fort’s historical elements.”
Mr Cooper said: “It’s been a fascinating undertaking, as we found plant species which we didn’t even realise were in there.
“We also found masonry which we didn’t know existed, as it had been covered in foliage.
“Some of what we found was so significant that it has changed designs for the renovations so that we can show off these newly discovered architectural details.”
The City explained that “innovative” 3D survey work accurately mapped the subterranean tunnels and will form part of an interpretive signage programme to provide historical, social and engineering information through QR codes and interactive maps for visitors.
Mr Cooper said: “Trenching works to bring new electrical power, data and water-supply lines to the site entrance have been completed.
“These new services will allow us to use the fort more efficiently for events, assist with water supply for landscape maintenance and provide data options, all without the need for a generator.
“The next stage of works will also entail the building of a slat house for City equipment — used in the maintenance of the fort — as well as a concession room with vending machines, which will enable fort-goers to purchase refreshments once there.
“The Fort Hamilton Improvement Project is one way in which the City is working to meet its mandate to protect and enhance the historical and cultural assets of the City and, where relevant, ensure that they continue to play a central role in the creation of new places.”
Fort Hamilton, which was built by the British in the early 1870s, will be closed for the works until the summer of 2025.
• The City of Hamilton appeals to anyone with photographs of the fort from before 1960 to e-mail info@cityhall.bm
Built by the British in the early 1870s, Fort Hamilton was one of three forts that formed the Prospect Position, a defensive line that protected Dockyard from a potential enemy landing at Spanish Point. It has never been altered from its original form.
Occupying a strategic position on a high hill overlooking the city, the pentagonal-shaped fort never saw battle, and the massive, 64lb artillery pieces were never fired in defence of the country.
The Corporation of Hamilton purchased the ten-acre property from the Imperial Government in 1926 with the intention of creating a site for a water reservoir. But the corporation abandoned these ideas as impracticable and instead allegedly used the fort to house Portuguese agricultural workers.
The fort was also used as the headquarters of the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps from 1902 to 1922.
In late 1936, the corporation leased the property to Bermuda’s Trade Development Board as a potential tourist attraction, and the fort was eventually opened as such in 1967, after conversion of the ditch into a tropical garden by George Ogden, a noted horticulturalist.
The entrance to Fort Hamilton is surrounded by a deep ditch, which is itself protected by flanking underground galleries. These galleries were designed for the use of cannon, as well as rifle, fire.
One of the galleries had a very small entrance which gave access from the fort into the ditch via a drawbridge. These underground galleries were connected by long tunnels.
The tunnels are about 8ft high and 4ft wide. Ventilation in the galleries is provided by a pipe in each ceiling. The pipes lead upward and open out into the walls of the moat.
At ground level, a unique “rolling” drawbridge provided access from Happy Valley Road to the upper level of the fort. What was notable about the drawbridge was that it allowed for the horizontal retraction of a moveable part of the bridge into the fort, as opposed to the usual method of the drawing-up of the structure. The innovation was patented by “Mr Guthrie” and is only one of a few known examples from across the globe.
Unlike other Bermudian forts, Fort Hamilton is the only one tenanted by civilians.
• Information provided by the City of Hamilton
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