Fort Montego in the 18th Century

Fort Montego, which is about half a mile from Montego Bay, was built on a small bluff overlooking what was then Meager Bay, and River Bay (both these bays have now been filled in for highway and town expansion). The Fort was one of many built along the coast to protect the (major shipping ports of Jamaica from invasion by French and Spanish forces and pirates that roamed around the Caribbean Sea. In 1752 the Fort was reported to be in very poor condition, and historian Edward Long reported that in 1760 one of the guns exploded killing the gunner while the Fort was celebrating the British capture of Havana. In 1779 the Fort underwent extensive renovations and the platform, paving, parapet wall and the powder magazine with its buttresses were built. Montego Bay was never invaded, and pirates were not a great threat. Most of the time the cannons were fired at the Fort to celebrate the King's birthday or the visit of the Governor to the town.           Montego Bay | Table of Contents | Geography | Urban Structure | Economy | Culture | Pictures | Bibliography | World Urbanization Homepage | Macalester Homepage