Fort Anne National Historic Site of Canada

Virtual Tour - continued

Now we're ready to go outdoors. We think we'll just wander around, read the signs and see whatever interests us... In the parade square, the open space here in front of the Officers' Quarters, we see signs around the perimeter, showing where some of the buildings were when the fort was garrisoned, including a store house, the governor's residence, barrack's site, and the chapel site. In the south corner of the parade square, is a restored powder magazine, originally constructed by the French in 1708. It's kind of neat inside. Barrels stacked on one side, and a cool draft comes through. The interpreter mentioned that this is to keep the powder dry.

If we continue along this southwest side of the parade square, we pass the Sally Port. This entrance into the fort grounds was used by the British. Earlier the French had a gate here. Many popular pictures of the Officers Quarters' are taken through this opening.

In the far corner of the parade square is another structure. Known by the staff as the "black hole," this powder magazine was built into the west bastion by the French. After 1740, it was abandoned as a magazine because of chronic dampness and was used sporadically as a prison by the British.

One of the most striking features of the fort is the earthworks, the best surviving example in North America of a Vauban fort. Vauban (1633 - 1707) was a French military engineer. Essentially square in shape, four projecting bastions at each corner allow protection on all flanks. The fort is surrounded by a dry moat with very steep banks, followed by the glacis, an open sloping area also surrounding the fort, originally intended to make secret approaches by enemies impossible.