After the fortifications of the Dockyard, themselves monumental works of three decades from 1809 onwards, and the great Commissioner's House, Casemate Barracks is the oldest standing building of the Bermuda Dockyard.

THAT quotation appeared in the first article of this series on March 4, 2005 that was titled "The Case for Casemate Barracks". The article also noted that the Casemate Barracks was one of the most important historical buildings of the Dockyard, and by inference in Bermuda itself.

Some of the public was aware of the value of this building and a team of volunteers led by Chris Addams of Somerset had commenced the removal of casuarinas invading the roofs and walls. This was the beginning of a programme of development reversal, "out with the new and in with the old", that has accelerated in the last few months.

Barracks are an essential part of most military encampments, as housing for personnel. The historical value of Casemate Barracks has increased, for many barracks have been demolished, including some in Bermuda at Prospect and St. George's Camps. Originally, the Dockyard barracks was home the Royal Marine Light Infantry, who manned the guns of the fortifications of the Dockyard from the 1840s onwards.

The barracks were used through the 1940s but abandoned in the early 1950s, when the Dockyard was downsized to the South Yard. A decade later, the Bermuda Government converted the building and its courtyards for use as a maximum-security prison.

Modifications were made to the original buildings and some new structures were added, including a couple of classic "watch towers" perched on two corners of the roof. Barbed and razor wire sprouted on perimeter walls, roofs and Land Front fortifications. These did little damage compared to the destructive invasion of casuarina and laurel trees that followed the end of the complex as a prison in the early 1990s.

Over the last decade, vandals and the weather have taken their toll on the buildings, the one illegal and the other inevitable, given no regime of maintenance. Within the last 18 months, the last surviving original door and its bronze hinges of the magazines in the Upper Ordnance Yard have gone walkabout: perhaps these could be returned.

Once a building appears uncared for people attack it, regardless of security arrangements. A few weeks ago, a 75-year old visitor told me quite blithely how he had gained access to the site, driven by curiosity.

For some time, the West End Development Corporation has been concerned with the state of the Casemate Barracks complex. With the agreement of its board under chairman Major Glenn Brangman and Minister of Works, Engineering and Housing Lt. Col. David Burch, a plan was conceived to begin the resuscitation of Casemate Barracks, to be supervised by the Maritime Museum.

There are three elements of the plan; the first began several months ago under the leadership of Jim Butterfield and a team of climbers. These volunteers disappeared over the ramparts and roofs, hanging on ropes with chainsaws. Hundreds of invasive trees have been removed, so much so that the Land Front fortifications can once again be seen from Mangrove Bay.

The second part called for the demolition of the new structures, mostly added during the 1960s prison conversion. This work is being carried out by Island Construction Services, whom I have worked with for several decades on heritage projects, as brothers Zane and Allan DeSilva have been sympathetic to the aims of such unusual jobs.

At the same time, a team of volunteers has been clearing the buildings of any movable rubbish, starting on the roof of Casemate Barracks.

THE final segment of the project will be the recording of the historic buildings and structures by archaeologists, using the latest in computerised technologies. A report will then be presented to the Wedco delineating the architectural heritage of the Casemate Barracks complex that should be preserved in any reuse of the area.

The Casemate Barracks and the casemated buildings of the courtyards contain vaulted brick ceilings, several feet thick, surmounted by stone and mortar.

This outstanding feature is usually reserved for gun emplacements under such cover of a casemated roof, which protects the position against incoming shells. Buildings so built were considered bombproof and it is from that roofing feature that Casemate Barracks takes it name.

The building was superbly constructed of the hard Bermuda limestone quarried in the Dockyard. It has projecting corners that allowed extra internal room for newel, or circular staircases to the roof from the first floor on the front of the building.

At least that was the thinking until last Saturday, when a blocked opening was observed at roof level. This appeared to be an expense magazine, but proved to be the door of a newel staircase on the southwestern corner. A similar feature was found on the southeastern corner of the roof, whereupon we went looking for blocked doors on the first floor.

The blocked door was found at that level and, to everyone's surprise, the stair continued downwards to the ground floor, where the volunteers unblocked its entry doorway. These two circular staircases are in mint condition with loops, or small slit windows for light.

The date of the blockings is unknown and we have yet to determine if the stairs on the front side of the building also originally began on the ground floor. Fort Cunningham is the only other military work here that has such newel staircases.

The Casemate Barracks and its outbuildings, with the fortifications of the Land Front, are a major component of the historic Bermuda Dockyard, now very much reintroduced into local consciousness and appreciation through the work of Wedco. Hopefully soon, these old and venerable buildings can be included in the new heritage Dockyard that has become a symbol of pride to most Bermuda residents and the most visited tourist spot in the island.

Photos show: 1: Casemate Barracks during World War Two. 2: Plan of structures demolished May 2006. 3: Lower Yard before and after demolition. 4: Upper Yard with demolition insets. 5: Throw-out team (right to left) volunteers Jack Garstang, Ossie Crossdale, Martin Hatfield, Andrew Harris and Jerry Charrington. 6: Break-through team (right, from left to right) Tramaine Stovell, Jane Downing, Mizzah Hunt and Jodi-Ann Westlake.

* * *

Dr. Edward Harris, MBE, JP, FSA, Bermudian, is the Executive Director of the Bermuda Maritime Museum. The views expressed here are his opinion, not necessarily those of the Trustees or Staff of the Museum. Comments can be sent to drharrislogic.bm, to PO Box MA 133, Sandys MABX, or by telephone at 799-5480.