"The Watergate and Keep Pond area" Sandys Parish Travelogue by grandmaR

This is the Watergate area today - covered with grey plastic dolphin pens.

Looking down on Keep from Commissioner's house

The Keep contained the magazine for storage of powder, cannon shot and shells and explosives for Ships of the Fleet, the Gun Wharf Shed

Commissioner's House overlooking the Keep

and at the highest elevation, the house of the Civilian Commissioner of the Admiralty responsible for the Dockyard.

The Keep commands the Dockyard, Sally Port, the Breakwater, the Fleet Anchorage, and the deep water channels leading to the Dockyard. The fortifications display a range of gun emplacements and guns from the 1820s to the early 20th century.

1995 Another picture of the ducks

THE SHELL HOUSE where the Isle of Devils exhibit portrays Bermuda in the Age of Discovery, and the BERMUDA MONETARY AUTHORITY Ship's Pennies and Years of Change, showing Bermuda’s history in coin and notes.

Ducks near the capson 1995

According to the sign at the entrance: "The Keep is the final line of defense of the Dockyard. The hilly peninsula and natural tidal pool around which it was built was transformed into a fortress by walling up cliffs, carving out batteries and underground magazines in its interior. Access was gained from a seagate in the wall into the tidal pool, or over a drawbridge around a moat guarded by cannon, or from the North Rampart by means of a temporary removable bridge.

Bob 1995 walking between buildings in the rain

This was so named as it stored ordnance being shifted to and from naval vessels. On exhibition here are historic diving equipment, and artifacts recovered from 17th Century wrecks, including the Sea Venture, which foundered here in 1609 leading to the first settlement.

2004 - Neptune

Neptune's statue when we had good weather and could actually stand out in the courtyard and take a picture of it.

Neptune

Photos 1, 3 and 7 are from the 2004 visit. The rest are from 1995 when it was raining.

Back to the 2004 Overview.