Cannons at Morne Fortune Restored

Four cannons at the Morne Battery on Morne Fortune have been lifted out of the ground and repositioned next to the platforms where they were originally located in the 19th century.

The area is also known as the Apostles’ Battery. During the reign of Queen Victoria soldiers used the names of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John when referring to the four cannons.

The site is owned and protected by the Saint Lucia National Trust. Its director, Bishnu Tulsie explained that the Trust is keen to preserve the heritage of Saint Lucia and develop this historical setting for the future benefit of the public. Godfrey Weir, a volunteer from the UK and a civil engineer has been supervising the project and assisting the Trust with historical research.

On Friday 6th March, a crane from Philgence Transport, expertly operated by Conie St. Louis, lifted the four cannons. They are each some four metres long, weighing 12 tons and had to be maneuvered with extreme care and precision.

The cannons had been removed from their original emplacements around 1905 when Saint Lucia was ceded to the British, the French having surrendered all claims to the island. With the need to protect the nation no longer an issue, the cannon and carriages were dismantled. The four cannons, which had a range of some 2,000 yards, were abandoned and, with the passing of over a century, sank into the ground.

The Trust understands the importance of rescuing and protecting the cannons and has positioned them as close as possible to their original platforms so that citizens and tourists may enjoy their grandeur and historical significance.