Fort George, lies eleven miles, north-east of Inverness, Scotland and was built by King George II to defend his army from the Jacobites, following the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie at Culloden in 1746.
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| Rampart overlooking the, Moray Firth |
The fort which took twenty-two years to build, is the largest fortification in Europe and is currently barracks to the, Black Watch (3 Scots) battalion as well as a tourist attraction.
I visited there a couple of years ago and I could see why the location was chosen. Hidden from the road behind large grass covered mounds, the fortress sits high above Scotland's largest firth, the Moray. Enabling the army within its walls to defend itself from rebellers approaching by land and sea.
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| Fort George, Scotland |
The ramparts overlooking the estuary these days are used by tourists hoping to catch sight of dolphins and whales in the inlet, rather than defending the army inside. Therefore, the Ministry of Defence is now considering the fort's future, in order of a cost cutting exercise.
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| The Moray Firth |
Will the drawbridge lift for a final time soon? I hope not for the seven hundred and fifty local people whose livelihoods depend on it and the fact that two hundred and fifty years of Scottish history could be entombed indefinitely.
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| Drawbridge entrance to Fort George |
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