Fort Belan
Encyclopedia
Fort Belan is a coastal fortress
in North Wales
. It is located opposite Abermenai Point
, at the south-western end of the Menai Strait
, on the coast of Gwynedd
, in the parish of Llanwnda
. Situated at the tip of the Dinlle Peninsula, the windblown, north-westernmost point of the Welsh
mainland, the fort is physically cut off twice a day by the incoming sea. Of geographic importance because of its location, Fort Belan is the access point to both the north Wales coast and to Liverpool
, England
. It is said to have cost £
30,000 to build the fort.
, then MP
for Caernarfonshire
and later to become Lord Newborough
. He was worried about the vulnerability of Britain’s coastline to attack, particularly because of the on-going American War of Independence
. Fort Belan was the only purpose built fort of the American Revolution
on the eastern side of the Atlantic Ocean
. It guards a narrow passage of 35 m (114.8 ft) width.
In the late 1780s, the barracks were used to ward off raiding American privateers from the Irish Sea
. But despite its military history, "no shots have been fired in anger from the fort". In the 1820s, the Wynn family turned it into a private fort for themselves, adding a small harbour for Spencer Wynn's steam yacht. Major construction works took place between 1824 and 1826. The watchtower was built in the 1890s by Freddie Wynn, and it housed a telescope.
In 1907, Sir Ralph Frankland-Payne-Gallwey described seeing a dock, workshops for repairing vessels, marine storehouses, winches, and cranes. During World War II
, the fort was again used for military purposes as the base for the Home Guard and two rescue launches. In the 1950s it was owned by Colonel Robert Vaughan Wynn. The Wynn family sold the property in 1992 to the Blundells as a base for marine biology exploration. In 1996 the Fort was reclassified as a Grade 1 listed building.
for the investiture of Prince Charles
in 1969.
Fortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
. It is located opposite Abermenai Point
Abermenai Point
Abermenai Point is the southernmost part of the island of Anglesey in Wales.It is the northern point of the western entrance of the Menai Strait.- External links :...
, at the south-western end of the Menai Strait
Menai Strait
The Menai Strait is a narrow stretch of shallow tidal water about long, which separates the island of Anglesey from the mainland of Wales.The strait is bridged in two places - the main A5 road is carried over the strait by Thomas Telford's elegant iron suspension bridge, the first of its kind,...
, on the coast of Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, in the parish of Llanwnda
Llanwnda, Gwynedd
Llanwnda is a village in Gwynedd, Wales. It has a population of roughly 1,000. It is situated about 3 miles to the south of Caernarfon, and 5 miles south-west of Llanrug. It contains the Fort Belan, built in 1775.- External links :*...
. Situated at the tip of the Dinlle Peninsula, the windblown, north-westernmost point of the Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
mainland, the fort is physically cut off twice a day by the incoming sea. Of geographic importance because of its location, Fort Belan is the access point to both the north Wales coast and to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is said to have cost £
Pound sign
The pound sign is the symbol for the pound sterling—the currency of the United Kingdom . The same symbol is used for similarly named currencies in some other countries and territories, such as the Irish pound, Gibraltar pound, Australian pound and the Italian lira...
30,000 to build the fort.
History
The fort was built in 1775 for a reported cost of £30,000 (£ as of ), by Thomas WynnThomas Wynn, 1st Baron Newborough
Thomas Wynn, 1st Baron Newborough , known as Sir Thomas Wynn, 3rd Baronet, from 1773 to 1776, was a British Member of Parliament.Wynn was the son of Sir John Wynn, 2nd Baronet...
, then MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire , historically spelled as Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire in English during its existence, was one of the thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county of Wales....
and later to become Lord Newborough
Baron Newborough
Baron Newborough is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Ireland. Both titles are still extant. The first creation came in 1716 in favour of George Cholmondeley, later 2nd Earl of Cholmondeley. See Marquess of Cholmondeley for further history of this creation. The second creation...
. He was worried about the vulnerability of Britain’s coastline to attack, particularly because of the on-going American War of Independence
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. Fort Belan was the only purpose built fort of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
on the eastern side of the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. It guards a narrow passage of 35 m (114.8 ft) width.
In the late 1780s, the barracks were used to ward off raiding American privateers from the Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
. But despite its military history, "no shots have been fired in anger from the fort". In the 1820s, the Wynn family turned it into a private fort for themselves, adding a small harbour for Spencer Wynn's steam yacht. Major construction works took place between 1824 and 1826. The watchtower was built in the 1890s by Freddie Wynn, and it housed a telescope.
In 1907, Sir Ralph Frankland-Payne-Gallwey described seeing a dock, workshops for repairing vessels, marine storehouses, winches, and cranes. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the fort was again used for military purposes as the base for the Home Guard and two rescue launches. In the 1950s it was owned by Colonel Robert Vaughan Wynn. The Wynn family sold the property in 1992 to the Blundells as a base for marine biology exploration. In 1996 the Fort was reclassified as a Grade 1 listed building.
Architecture
The fort's innermost buildings are slightly taller than the 20 ft (6.1 m) tall stone walls. In the centre of the fort is a sheltered, quadrangle; at one time, there were peacocks here. Fortified towers are located at either end of the courtyard. Each of the towers displays the two-headed eagle of the first Lord Newborough. Small two-storey houses that were used as officer and privates' quarters line the flanks, commodious barracks for the Caernarvonshire county militia. Approximately 24 cannons form a gun battery along the walls. One of the inner corridors is said to be the haunt of a phantom nursemaid.Present use
Fort Belan is a Grade I Listed building. It houses a maritime museum and a pottery. It has also been re-purposed as a self-catering holiday complex. The houses have been given a farmhouse feel and coal fires keep them warm. Notable overnight guests include Princess MargaretPrincess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
for the investiture of Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
in 1969.