Fort Amherst, St. John's
Fort Amherst is a neighbourhood in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located at 47°33′48.96″N 52°40′49.60″W, on the southern side of the Narrows, the entrance to St. John's harbour. Apart from some family dwellings, Fort Amherst consists of a man-made harbour, a lighthouse and the remains of gun emplacements built during World War II to defend against German U-boats. Two QF 4.7-inch B Mark IV* guns remain in place on their mountings.
Fort Amherst | |
|---|---|
Neighbourhood | |
Fort Amherst from Signal Hill | |
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Newfoundland and Labrador |
| City | St. John's |
| Ward | 2 |
| Government | |
| • Administrative body | St. John's City Council |
| • Councilor | Ophelia Ravencroft |
National Historic Site of Canada | |
| Official name | Fort Amherst National Historic Site of Canada |
| Designated | 1951 |
| Fort Amherst Lighthouse | |
Fort Amherst Lighthouse | |
| Coordinates | 47°33′48.68″N 52°40′49.52″W |
| Constructed | 1813 (first) 1852 (second) |
| Construction | stone tower (first) wooden tower (current) |
| Height | 8 metres (26 ft) |
| Shape | square frustun tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings | white tower, red lantern roof |
| Operator | Fort Amherst Museum and Tea Room |
| Heritage | heritage lighthouse |
| First lit | 1951 (current) |
| Focal height | 40 metres (130 ft) |
| Range | 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 15s. |
The original fortifications at Fort Amherst, built in the 1770s, are no longer visible. The fortifications were named for William Amherst, who successfully recaptured St. John's from French forces in 1762. The fort operated in conjunction with Fort Waldegrave for much of its history. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1951.
The name is shared with Port La-Joye / Fort Amherst in Prince Edward Island and Fort Amherst in England.
The first lighthouse in Newfoundland was built at Fort Amherst in 1810. The current lighthouse was built in 1951.