Fort Frederick, Eastern Cape: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|Fort in South Africa}}

{{Dmy|date=July 2022}}

{{Use South African English|date = July 2022}}

| name = Fort Frederick

| location = [[Port Elizabeth]], South Africa

| image = Fort Frederick Port Elizabeth-010.jpg

| caption = The fort situated along [[Athol Fugard]] Terrace

| map_type = South Africa Eastern Cape#South Africa

| coordinates = {{coord|-33.966588|25.621436|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| type = Mortared construction

| built = {{Start date and age|1799}}

| materials = Local stone and wood

| height = 2 floors, wooden blockhouse burned down

| condition = Intact

| open_to_public = Yes

| controlledby = {{RSA}}

| past_commanders = Captain Francis Evatt (1817–1847)

| occupants = British Forces

| events = [[Napoleonic wars]], [[Invasion of the Cape Colony (1795)]], [[History of South Africa#British at the Cape|British rule in South Africa]], [[1820 Settlers]]

| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|frame-align=center|plain=yes|type=shape|zoom=14}}

| pushpin_relief = 1

'''Fort Frederick''' in [[Port Elizabeth]], South Africa, was built in 1799 in order to stop the [[France|French]] from conquering the [[Cape Colony]] during the [[Napoleonic wars]] and played a vital role in establishing [[History of South Africa#British at the Cape|British rule in South Africa]] in combination with the [[Battle of Blaauwberg]]. The fort has never fired a shot from its guns.

Fort Frederick was built in 1799 on a natural vantage point overlooking the strategic Algoa Bay. Named after [[Frederick, Duke of York and Albany]], commander-in-chief of the British Army, it was built by troops sent to Algoa Bay to prevent a possible landing of French troops, under [[Napoleon]] to assist the [[Graaff-Reinet rebels]] during the [[Napoleonic wars]], which event is often regarded to be the beginning of the British rule in the [[Cape Colony]].<ref name=nmbt>{{cite web|url=http://www.nmbt.co.za/listing/fort_frederick.html#sthash.vU6bhsAP.dpuf|title=Fort Frederick - Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth)|publisher=nmbt.co.za|accessdate=21 May 2018}}</ref>

The "landing with fresh water", as [[Algoa Bay]] was referred to, sits at the mouth of the [[Baakens River]], the bay stretches from the [[Baakens River]] to the outskirts of modern-day Port Elizabeth. When the [[1820 Settlers]] arrived in Port Elizabeth, the fort was already well-established.<ref name=nmbt/>

The fort consists of the powder magazine and the blockhouse, which has lost its timber upper storey.Its original armaments consisted of two 8-pounder guns and one 5.5 inch [[Howitzer]]. The museum collection now also contains a varied selection of muzzle-loaders dating from the later part of the eighteenth century.<ref name=nmbt/>

'''Captain Francis Evatt''', Commandant of Fort Frederick between 1817 and 1847 is buried next to the fort. Captain Evatt played an important role in overseeing the arrivals of the [[1820 Settlers|Settlers in 1820]].<ref name=nmbt/>

The fort is reportedly [[:wikt:haunted|haunted]] by the ghosts of a Shakespeare play.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qVA6zfB-LCUC&pg=PA170|author=Pat Hopkins|title=Ghosts of South Africa|publisher=Zebra Press|year=2006|pages=228|isbn=9781770073036}}</ref>

== Gallery ==

<gallery>

File:9 2 073 0006-Fort Frederick-Port Elizabeth-s.jpg|Aerial view of the fort.

File:Port Elizabeth Fort Frederick, inside the fort, soldiers house on left and ammunition store in centre.JPG|Inside the fort, soldiers house on left and ammunition store in the centre.

File:ZA-PE-fort-.frederic.jpg|Canons aimed at the harbour.

</gallery>

{{Commons}}

{{Castles and fortifications in South Africa}}

[[Category:Forts in South Africa|Frederick]]

[[Category:Buildings and structures in Gqeberha]]

[[Category:Reportedly haunted locations in South Africa]]