BILL McALLISTER: Fort George's military days may be numbered, but shouldn't plans be considered now for a new community use?
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THIS is the 275th anniversary of William Adam being awarded the contract to build Fort George – and of Major General William Skinner being appointed chief engineer of north Britain and starting to design the fortress near what Army documents of the time called “Arderseer”.
Adam, a Fifer responsible for Robert Gordon’s College and Duff House and regarded as Scotland’s foremost architect, died before work fully began on the project and it was his sons John, Robert and James who carried on creating the imposing fortification, taking turns to spend every summer there.
It was in the wake of the Battle of Culloden that the British government determined on a series of new or enhanced forts – and Adam and his sons were also involved in Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and forts at Fort Augustus and Fort William.
These works were overseen by Skinner, who had worked on various military locations across Europe including Gibraltar, Menorca and France, and he designed Fort George with the strongest defences to the east, as the strategic priority was to withstand a siege from land-based infantry and artillery. An artificial harbour was scooped out to allow building supplies to come in from sea.
The fort was the single biggest construction project ever in the Highlands – until Thomas Telford and the Caledonian Canal.
It’s location was chosen after an initial plan to build it in Inverness foundered when the Town Council asked for too much money.
The outstanding neo-classical style of ornamentation is thought to have been the work of the Adam brothers. It was John Adam who, working to Skinner’s direction, completed the fort in 1769, 22 years after the contract was awarded. The chapel, finished two years earlier, was the last building erected.
Skinner was appointed the fort’s first governor and his Governor’s House is now the Officer’s Mess.
Defensive bastions protected against artillery while offering clear lines of fire. The deep main ditch allowed the rampart to be high at the ditch base, making scaling it a daunting task, yet squat at the lower point to make it difficult for artillery to target.
The fort has, of course, changed over the centuries but original features include the chapel interior, the grand magazine, the prison and stone stairwells in the barracks.
Doric pillars flank the main gate, above which are the arms of King George II.
It was built to house two infantry battalions – 1600 men – representing Britain’s largest garrison of the time. The new fort was omitted from Ordnance Survey maps for security reasons.
Although the fort never saw a shot fired in anger, many regiments have used it. The 72nd Highlanders were based there in 1778 while by 1793 it was home to the 78th (Ross-shire Buffs).
From 1881 to 1961 it was the HQ of the Seaforth Highlanders, then the new Queens Own Highlanders (Seaforths and Camerons) were based there until 1964.
Only one building, the regimental institute opened in 1934, has been added to the original complex.
In 2001, behind a panel were found sergeants’ swagger sticks, a bayonet in a leather sheath, decorated pipe bowls, a timetable to Edinburgh – and numerous tins of talcum powder to protect soldiers’ feet after an abundance of square-bashing!
For the past 15 years it has accommodated the Royal Regiment of Scotland with 3 Scots (Black Watch) now there.
Though it has a proud past, Fort George has a limited future. In 2016, its future closure was announced. Those thick stone walls don’t allow for the latest IT which is increasingly important militarily. Scheduled to close by 2032, the Defence Ministry is now keen to fast-track and the fortress may have only five years or less remaining as a military base.
Shouldn’t the Scottish Government, Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise be working together now on new uses for an old fort?
After two-and-a-half centuries as home to an active military garrison, Fort George should continue to serve the area.
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