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Monday, July 31, 2017

Photos of the Fishguard Fort, Canons, and Resolute Defence of Wales

Problem
After all those filling Welsh cakes in Fishguard, how do you burn a couple of calories and feel virtuous and ready for some more food?

A surprising number of people have been through Fishguard on their way from Wales to Ireland by ferry, yet have not enjoyed the delights of Fishguard.

Answer
For exercise, family fun, walk to the Napoleonic fort. What is a Napoleonic fort?  It was a defence against Napoleon's Bonaparte's well-known plan to invade England. He had already invaded Ireland in 1796.
Welcome to Fishguard Fort sign. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Where is the fort? Below. Down the path. "Only two minutes."

It's two minutes from me to the lady with the dog.

Another two minutes down the path towards the sea.

Now I can see it. In the distance. Another two minutes?

 Looking at the photo, with the fort enlarged, I can see four canons. How much fort? A bit of a wall. A nice archway for framing photos.

Back up again. Now we know what's down there. Take a picture. Rain is forecast for tomorrow. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Welsh man David is driving. That decorative, dangling item in the middle of the screen is very colourful, but right now in the way of my view of signs and any potential photos. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

History
The area had eight canons, which were installed when the fort was built in the late 1700s (between 1779 and 1981). The nine pounder guns were fired as a warning to the French ships approaching about twenty years later. On reflection the guns did not have much effect because the French landed in 1797. Maybe the guns frightened the French troops.

Some of the French soldiers (after losing an earlier battle to British troops) then surrendered to local heroine Jemima who reputedly marched about in a circle. I am not sure whether she intended to deceive or just had that effect by good luck. It appeared to onlookers at a distance as if she (and a few female friends), wearing red coats, visible from a distance, and tall black hats which gave them added height, were line after line of never-ending defending soldiers. Certainly the repeated marching was a sign of the marchers' resolution.

(They were only women. However, if that was the courage of the women, what would the men be like!)

More information from:
Historical information:
http://www.ecastles.co.uk/fishguard.html

Aerial view from Google maps:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.001142,-4.970037,198m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

Directions
A40 / A487 junction north Pembrokeshire.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer,  author and speaker. I have previous posts on the Fishguard Fort, walks and sights and the Invasion Tapestry Museum in Fishguard, Welsh cakes, speaking Welsh. Please share links to your favourite posts.

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