OLD LANDMARK

Hokitika Guardian, 30 September 1933, Page 6

OLD LANDMARK

NELSON’S FAMOUS FORT :- ,V I\ ■, f . ■-. • I . : RAMPARTS ON CHURCH HILL The , fact, that Nelson—the . first organised European settlement in the South Island—was once an aimed and fortified town,'is recalled in the Nelson Evening Mail by Air J. H. Moore, lie refers to the passing of, the last i remaining traces of Fort Arthur on ■Church Hill, in the centre of flic city, on .which the Nelson Cathedral now stands.

. The fort was. constructed in 1843, fdlipwing the tragic clash between pakehas and Maoris on the Wairau Plain, commonly termed “the Wairau .Massacre,’’ The settlers were fearful of an invasion by Te Rauparaha and his band after the killing of the majority of the party of Nelson settlers who went to the Wairau with' the object of effecting the notorious chief’s arrest. The fortification was hastily thrown up, but occasion for its use as a measure of defence did Hot arise. There was no attempt on the part of Te Rauparaha to attack Nelson, but there were many enxious days and weeks in the young settlement before a sense of security was restored.

RELICS OF OLD EARTH WORKS

Mr Moore writes:—“There is a job being done on the Church IE 11 at the present time which is removing forever one of the most interesting landmarks of the- past. The last reminder of the famous Fort Arthur is being demolished by a party of workmen, as part of a scheme for levelling and beautifying the grounds of the new cathedral. Other parts of the old-time fortifications erected on the hill have long since vanished. There is no trace left of the two forts on the angles—one overlooking what is now the Nelson Rowling Club’s green, and the other on the opposite angle pointing toward what was the old,gaol.

“Several of the terrace formations are relies of the old .ramparts, although all traces of their original purpose have long since vanished. The mound at the top of the hill facing the flight of steps and overlooking the town which ijg now being levelled is the last visible .relic of this famous fortress.. It was completed, by, the, settlers after the ’affray at- the Wairau in 1843 and women and children were taken within its gates at night time for safety. The guns were mounted on this mouna overlooking the town which is now being levelled by the workmen.” As Air Moore points out there was never any inecessity to use these guns.

DESCRIPTION OF THE*FORT

Proceeding, Mr Moore remarks that the demolition of this last portion of the historic fortress named after Qapta'.n Arthur Wakefield makes still more interesting the following description of the fort taken from the pages of the Nelson Examiner of December 23. 1843:

‘‘Fort Arthur enclosed the hill forming. part of Trafalgar Square. It was built from the design and under the superintendence of Mr J. S. Spooner. It covers rather more than an acre of ground. It is built in the form of an oblong hexagon, with bastions at each (angle. The embankments and ramparts, and the bastions are of earth faced with sods, squared and laid in courses. It is surrounded by,a moot 8 feet deep, and 12 feet wide over which is placed a drawbridge at the north end. Ins'de the rampart is a trench 5 feet deep for musketry.

, “Oil an inner and level elevation find enclosing the church and survey pffice. is a stockade 7 feet high, built of 2-inch planking, double, with a space between of two 'lnches filled with earth, making it ball-proof, and surmounted with a ‘cheveaux da frise.’ Tt is in the shape of an oblong squhre. 156 feet long by 48 feet, with flanking towers at the corners 10 feet high, pierced through out with loopholes for rifles and musketry, and port-holes for the great guns (long 18-pounder carronades).”

The late Mr -T. W. Barnicoat, M.L. 0., has left, a sketch of Fort Arthur which faithfully depicts its main features as described. Mr, Barnieoat, one cf. the pioneer surveyors of. Nelson, was a member of the party led by the Nelson police magistrate. Mr H. A. Thompson, against Te Rnuparaba, and and he was one of the few present who Escaped ( froin the fateful encounter.