Element 02– Fort Henry, Kingston
 Innovative in design, Fort Henry was the most important British fortification west of Quebec City. © Parks Canada |
Fort Henry was the key element of the Kingston fortifications system. The fort is embedded atop Point Henry, some 30 m above the water on the eastern side of Kingston Harbour. Its position provides a commanding view of the north channel of the St. Lawrence River, the entrance to the Rideau Canal, and the Kingston harbour area. The glacis of the fort extends down to the shorelines of Deadman Bay to the east and Navy Bay to the west. Given its elevated position, Fort Henry’s fields of fire to the east, south and west, were designed to cover most of the harbour area. Fort Henry is a national historic site of Canada.
Redoubt – This casemated fort has walls that are 10 m high and 2 m thick. A masonry-walled dry ditch, 15 m wide and 7 m high, surrounds the redoubt, 1837. CRM1.
Advanced battery and glacis – The nine guns of the battery covered the southern approach to the fort. The glacis south of the branch ditches illustrates the design and defensive style of the fortifications, 1839. CRM1.
West and east branch ditches – With masonry-lined walls, the ditches provided flank protection to the fort. The ditches are 9 m wide and extend down to the water’s edge on each side of Point Henry, 1839. CRM1.
West and east branch ditch towers – These limestone towers are 13 m in height and 9 m in diameter at the base. Each was armed with a cannon on top, 1848. CRM1.
West and east commissariat stores – These fortified limestone storerooms connect the redoubt to the advanced battery. Each building is 82 m long and the outer walls are 1,2 m thick, 1842. CRM1.
 The casemated redoubt was excavated into the hilltop to minimize its exposure to artillery fire. © Parks Canada |
 Fort Henry offers outstanding interpretive programs and is a popular tourist attraction in Eastern Ontario. © Parks Canada |
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Element 03– Fort Frederick, Kingston > |
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