Fort Barrington

The Cripplegate Battery, commonly known as the Queen's Battery or Fort Barrington, has a rich military history. When St. John's town became the island's primary port in the 17th century, the first defenses were built. In the Minute Books of the Antigua Assembly in 1704, it appears on a list of defenses. Even though it controlled the harbour entrance and the anchorage beyond, this fort was abandoned at the end of Queen Anne's War (1704-1713). Today, there is no trace of the initial fortification.

Instead of strengthening the fort, the colonial authority concentrated its efforts across the water at Fort James. The planters only learned Fort James was in the wrong position and couldn't protect the vessels riding at anchor in the 1770s due to French privateering. Fort Barrington began as a self-contained half-moon stronghold, replete with a guard house, gunpowder magazine, and offsite barracks construction, with design advice from the Royal Engineers. From this vantage position, the gunners at Fort Barrington could command St. John's Harbour and the anchorage.

The fortification was used until the 19th century when it was converted from a fortification to a signaling station. In 1917, Royal Marines installed a quick-firing Royal Navy gun one of fourteen provided by the British government to secure all of their Caribbean islands. The location was briefly revived as a military station. The fortification, a minor Amerindian settlement, and the ruins of the Andes shipwreck inside Deep Bay were all named National Parks in 2009, and are all visible today. Standing tall in the middle of a windy hill, blending in with the colors of nature, Fort Barrington becomes more beautiful than ever. The picture was perfect when the beauty of nature combined with the ancient beauty of Fort Barrington to make the picture even more vivid. That's why Fort Barrington deserves to be on the list of the most beautiful historical sites in Antigua and Barbuda.

Location: Five Islands, St. John's Antigua.