Fort Tourgis is an extensive fortification in Alderney to the north west of St Anne forming part of the Fortifications of Alderney.
Fort Tourgis, completed in 1855, was designed to accommodate 346 men and was originally to be the largest of Alderney's Victorian forts. It was also designed to mount 33 heavy cannon in five batteries together with four 13-inch mortars. Fort Albert, begun a year later in 1856, was to become the island's largest and most heavily armed fort, but even today Tourgis remains a very impressive structure.
Alderney's Victorian forts were designed to defend the island and its harbour, which was planned to accommodate a British fleet to respond to French naval power in the Channel. From 1860, advances in weapons, particularly the rise of rifled ordnance, and ironclad ship design, made the island's 18 forts and batteries, and the new harbour, increasingly obsolete. However several forts, including Tourgis, were later armed with more modern gun designs. In 1886 the island's defences consisted of 124 guns, mortars and howitzers; by 1893 only Fort Albert and Roselle Battery were armed, with Fort Grosnez having two practice guns manned by the Alderney Militia. By 1908 only Fort Albert with the two newly installed six-inch guns (1901) and Roselle Battery, with its two 12-pounder QF guns, defended the island.
From July 1940, after Alderney and the other Channel Islands had been occupied by the Germans, the defences were designed both to protect the sea route from Cherbourg to St Malo, and to resist potential British assault to recapture the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by Germany. Fort Tourgis became Stutzpunkt Türkenburg, or Strongpoint Turk's CastleFort Tourgis has a Citadel containing the barrack block, main magazine and other facilities, together with two small gun batteries, one facing west (three guns) and one east (two guns) in the Redan. The fort's main armament was located in three major batteries facing seawards. The batteries are separated from each other, and from the Citadel, by ditches and drawbridges.
The derelict fort remains under the ownership of the States of Alderney.
REPORT
1.
2. Main entrance. The site is not locked or behind any fence, but warnings signs do say that entry is not allowed
3.
4.
5.
6. St Mary's harbour which the fort was designed to protect
7.
8. And this is why they don't want you to enter, these floors are lethal!
9.
10.
11. Must had been the officers' quarters
12. For everybody else, communal showers
13.
14. Really could not venture too far upstairs
15. And looking at those floors, you will see why
16.
17. Finally Alderney is a very small island with a population of just 2000. This is the aircraft that flys you there. As for the airport, lets just say you do not need to be there 3 hours in advance.
Fort Tourgis, completed in 1855, was designed to accommodate 346 men and was originally to be the largest of Alderney's Victorian forts. It was also designed to mount 33 heavy cannon in five batteries together with four 13-inch mortars. Fort Albert, begun a year later in 1856, was to become the island's largest and most heavily armed fort, but even today Tourgis remains a very impressive structure.
Alderney's Victorian forts were designed to defend the island and its harbour, which was planned to accommodate a British fleet to respond to French naval power in the Channel. From 1860, advances in weapons, particularly the rise of rifled ordnance, and ironclad ship design, made the island's 18 forts and batteries, and the new harbour, increasingly obsolete. However several forts, including Tourgis, were later armed with more modern gun designs. In 1886 the island's defences consisted of 124 guns, mortars and howitzers; by 1893 only Fort Albert and Roselle Battery were armed, with Fort Grosnez having two practice guns manned by the Alderney Militia. By 1908 only Fort Albert with the two newly installed six-inch guns (1901) and Roselle Battery, with its two 12-pounder QF guns, defended the island.
From July 1940, after Alderney and the other Channel Islands had been occupied by the Germans, the defences were designed both to protect the sea route from Cherbourg to St Malo, and to resist potential British assault to recapture the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by Germany. Fort Tourgis became Stutzpunkt Türkenburg, or Strongpoint Turk's CastleFort Tourgis has a Citadel containing the barrack block, main magazine and other facilities, together with two small gun batteries, one facing west (three guns) and one east (two guns) in the Redan. The fort's main armament was located in three major batteries facing seawards. The batteries are separated from each other, and from the Citadel, by ditches and drawbridges.
The derelict fort remains under the ownership of the States of Alderney.
REPORT
1.
2. Main entrance. The site is not locked or behind any fence, but warnings signs do say that entry is not allowed
3.
4.
5.
6. St Mary's harbour which the fort was designed to protect
7.
8. And this is why they don't want you to enter, these floors are lethal!
9.
10.
11. Must had been the officers' quarters
12. For everybody else, communal showers
13.
14. Really could not venture too far upstairs
15. And looking at those floors, you will see why
16.
17. Finally Alderney is a very small island with a population of just 2000. This is the aircraft that flys you there. As for the airport, lets just say you do not need to be there 3 hours in advance.
