Take a stroll to Fort Berkeley

Fort Berkeley is the oldest fortification in English Harbour, dating to 1704 and was constructed by the colonial government and manned by gunners and matrosses hired by the government—not soldiers. As English Harbour became more important with the expansion of the Dockyard in the 1740s, more fortifications were constructed to protect the naval installation. This included a dramatic expansion of Fort Berkeley to the size and scope it is today. Fort Berkeley was officially handed over to the Crown in 1784 after the end of the American Revolution, and the British military took the station over. The military added the gunpowder magazine in 1807. Today the fortification is accessible along a short nature trail. Visitors often go to the fortification to look back at English Harbour, great vessels as they arrive, and watch Antigua’s many world-class sailing regattas.