Tag Archives: Fort Grey

Fort Grey

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Guernsey
Fort Grey, in Roquaine Bay on Guernsey’s West coast, is one of the Channel Islands’ many ‘Martello’ towers.
Guernsey
It was built in 1804, during the Napoleonic Wars, for defence against the French.
Guernsey
During WW2, the occupying German forces used it as an anti-aircraft battery. The tower was restored in the 1970s and opened as a shipwreck museum in 1976.

Guernsey

Looking North towards WW2 tower

The area has seen plenty of shipwrecks over the centuries, as it is fringed with extensive reefs.

Guernsey

Looking North from Fort Grey

A canon on the roof of the fort points towards the Hanois reef, nemesis for many a vessel. According to the Guernsey Museums website, between 1734 and 1978 over 100 ships were wrecked in the Hanois area. The earliest known wreck dates back to 1309.

Looking West towards Hanois lighthouse

Looking West towards Hanois lighthouse

The museum, well worth a visit, displays relics, paintings and photographs of many of the local wrecks, together with their often tragic stories.
Guernsey

Fort Grey

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Guernsey

 

I have done battle with the binding machine and submitted the hard copies of my dissertation.  It is well and truly done.

I have already visited a few blogs and have plans to visit many more – I have missed the fun of sharing this great hobby with other enthusiasts.  I have lots of plans, plenty of photographic projects in the pipeline.  But I also want to share some of the photos I took during our holiday to the Channel Islands this year.    This is Fort Grey, on Guernsey’s West coast.  Inside, there is a fascinating shipwreck museum which I heartily recommend. It is never easy trying to do landscape photography on a family holiday.  At this location I noticed the best viewpoint of all just as we were driving away and couldn’t bring myself to ask the family to stop again while I captured it.  This will have to do.  Mostly it was too hazy while we were there and there weren’t enough clouds to make interesting sunsets, but this evening was an exception.