Fortifications of Alderney

Apart from a Roman Fort, there were very few fortifications in Alderney until the mid 19th century. These were then modified and updated in the mid 20th Century by Germans during the occupation period. Alderney at 8 sq km is now one of the most fortified places in the world.

Current evidence indicates that the Nunnery has its origins as a Roman Fortification. 30m x 30m square with rounded corners where towers were built. Built of stone and Roman concrete, there is a similarity to Roman signal stations built in Yorkshire.

At the end of the reign of Henry VIII, in 1546 work was begun on building a fortification on the site that would become known as Essex Castle, only the remains are the current North and West walls of the fortification. 200 men worked to provide facilities for a garrison of 200 soldiers. The capture of Sark by the French in 1549 ensured the work would continue, additional funding was obtained however when Queen Mary came to the throne in 1554, the work was abandoned and dismantled, it was converted to a private residence for John Chamberlayne, the Lord of Alderney 1584-91. There followed a period when the Island was attacked by pirates or used by pirates as it was undefended.

The Island Militia may have existed for centuries, as did the Militias of Guernsey and Jersey. King Edward III of England authorised Thomas de Ferres in 1337 to “levy and train” militias in the Guernsey, Jersey, Sark and Alderney, to the use of arms and to aray them in thousands, hundreds and twenties. The first mention of a militia commander, Captain Nicholas Ling, was noted in the records in 1657. Without fortifications apart from a decaying Essex Castle and the Nunnery and few if any cannon, the Island was not defendable.

During the seven years war in 1756 the Militia amounted to 200 men and the Island became a centre for Privateers. In 1781 France invaded Jersey, resulting in the Battle of Jersey. In 1793, the fear of the French Revolution resulted in 200 soldiers together with trained artillery men were sent to Alderney. The loss of HMS Amethyst, a 38 gun frigate built in 1793, wrecked in 1795 off Alderney, gave the Island a number of cannon rescued from the wreck and batteries were built for them. By 1809 there were nineteen batteries holding 93 cannon. Barracks had also been built to house 568 men and the militia totalled 384 men. A telegraph tower was constructed above La Foulère in 1811, enabling signals to be relayed visually to Le Mât in Sark and on to Guernsey - early warning of attack during the Napoleonic Wars was of strategic importance.

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Wikipedia