Fort George is one of Europe’s most significant and impressive investigating forts. Built in the wake of the Jacobite Rising of 1745 as a FORT GEORGE Highland army base, it is still occupied by the military today. This tour brings its history to life. Information for teachers

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Timeline 1745 Historical background Charles Edward Stuart arrives in Scotland; start of the fifth and final In the wake of their victory at the In the Second World War Fort George Jacobite Rising Battle of Culloden in 1746, the British was a training base for volunteers February 1746 army wanted to guarantee there and conscripts from all corners of the Jacobites destroy British army would be no more ‘rebellions’ in United Kingdom. From 1943 it played garrison in Inverness – the first ‘Fort Scotland. Military garrisons linked a significant role in rehearsals for the George’ by military roads were established D-Day landings that took place in the April 1746 Jacobites defeated at Battle of across the Highlands, at places such Moray Firth. Concrete replicas of the Culloden as Corgarff and Braemar castles. Their German gun emplacements of the 1747 existing garrison in Inverness, the Atlantic Wall were constructed and New chief garrison planned first Fort George, had been destroyed destroyed; landing craft were tested for British army in Scotland at by the Jacobites. A replacement on the beaches between Fort George Ardersier: the new Fort George was needed and, taking advantage and Nairn. After 1944 it became a 1747 of an empty site near Ardersier, a training centre again for regular and Building begins at Fort George new ‘state of the art’ Fort George National Service recruits, who served 1769 was designed by Lieutenant General in conflict zones such as Korea, Suez Fort George completed William Skinner. and Cyprus. From late 1700s Fort used as recruitment and Named after King George II, the fort Fort George is still an active military training base by Highland regiments sits on a promontory and is defended base today, and the 3rd Battalion, 1860 on three sides by the waters of the Royal Regiment of Scotland – the Fort George refortified on seaward Moray Firth. The landward side is ‘Black Watch’ – is currently based side against French invasion threat protected by mighty earthworks, there. 1881 ditches and ramparts. The spacious Fort George becomes the depot for fort has accommodation for around the Seaforth Highlanders 2,000 men as well as storerooms, 1914–18 brewery, bakery, bomb-proof First World War: Fort George used as base magazine, chapel and prison. It took over 20 years to build and cost nearly 1942 Fort George becomes training £200,000 – more than the Gross centre for conscripts and volunteers National Product for Scotland in 1943 1750. It was completed in 1769, by Training for D–day landings takes which time the Jacobite threat had place at Fort George receded. 1940s and 50s Soon, however, the fort became a National Service recruits trained at Fort George recruiting and training base for the 1964 Highland regiments of the British Fort George ceases to be depot for army. Many soldiers of the British Seaforth Highlanders Empire began their careers here at 1983–5 ‘Fort Misery’. From 1881 unti 1964 £17 million spent on upgrading and it was the regimental depot of the modernising Fort George Seaforth Highlanders. A plaque over 2007 the main gate commemorates the The ‘Black Watch’ – 3rd Battalion of 8,432 men of the Seaforths who died the Royal Regiment of Scotland – in the First World War. based at Fort George

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Supporting learning Historical background and teaching Integrating the tour with A visit to Fort George is particularly suitable for teachers classroom studies working on a classroom study of Before the visit Working on-site The Jacobites. Although built after the Jacobite rising of 1745–6, the Most of the activities are suitable for pupils in When exploring the fort, encourage pupils to fort provides a good source of the upper primary/lower secondary stages. look critically at what they see and to make evidence about life in a ‘Redcoat’ and test theories based on physical evidence. • Look at photographs of Fort George military garrison at that time. Starting points could include: – see www.scran.ac.uk or www. However, the fort also played an historicscotlandimages.gov.uk or www. • What materials were used to build the fort? important role in the Second World War and its continuing undiscoveredscotland.co.uk Why were these materials chosen? use as an army garrison brings Help pupils formulate research questions • Do you think the fort has always looked that period vividly to life. Our to investigate on-site. If possible, involve like this? Can you see anywhere it has been tour points out locations where them in the booking procedure. altered? Why might it have been changed? various activities took place during the war, and in a few • If focusing on the Jacobite Risings, make • What evidence is there of everyday life for cases there is visual evidence sure pupils have a grasp of the key events of the soldiers at the fort? dating from that time. These 1745–6 before their visit. Pupils can record evidence by taking notes, elements are highlighted for easy • If your focus is the Second World War, reference and can be skipped if sketching, taking photographs, recording remind pupils that Fort George was built as not relevant. impressions into a tape recorder. a military base nearly 200 years before the A visit, and use of the supporting Second World War. Help them to see that The Historic Scotland website www.historic- materials, will help pupils to scotland.gov.uk contains resources to help develop in the four capacities of although its use as an army base remained Curriculum for Excellence. It will: the same, many aspects of military life were with work on-site. These include an Evidence different. The fort played a significant role Record and a My Impressions Record. • develop successful learners by challenging pupils to in preparing men for the D-Day landings Suggestions for follow-up work consider how life has changed of 1944, as the shore around Fort George for people and will help is similar to that of northern France. Pupils Following the visit, pupils can pool their them to think critically about will gain more from their visit if they findings to create a record of the fort and the evidence and arrive at their understand a little about this beforehand. lives of the people who lived and worked own conclusions. Concrete there. This could form the basis for a range • Help pupils gain a clearer grasp of the time evidence will reinforce of presentation activities, for example: learning. scale by making a timeline with them. • develop confident individuals Count back the centuries then mark on • a guide book or promotional leaflet through pupils learning key events in the history of the fort and • a slide show, with commentary, of their visit about aspects of their surrounding area. This could be added to • imaginative writing based on the lives of community’s past, developing after the visit. an understanding of social the inhabitants of the fort changes, establishing some • Discuss with pupils all the activities which • drama sketches showing life in the fort of their own values and would have gone on in a military base – through the ages communicating their views on sleeping, eating, drilling, patrolling. Pupils different historical and social could research these topics to prepare for issues the visit. Note: Fort George is still a working, active • develop responsible citizens military garrison and you are likely to see by encouraging pupils to have • Familiarise pupils with some of the serving soldiers during your visit. For this greater respect for their own terminology of the fort and fort life as reason, some areas of the fort are not historic and built environment this makes discussion on-site easier. accessible to the public. • develop effective contributors Useful words include: artillery, infantry, by broadening pupils’ rations, magazine, ravelin, parade ground, knowledge and understanding barracks, bastion, glacis, casemates, garrison, through investigative, creative ramparts, drill. Pupils could produce a and critical thinking class illustrated dictionary to explain these terms.

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Tour notes: Fort George, army base Key tour locations Our tour takes in ten Our suggested tour route (see plan on page 5) focuses on life at Fort George at locations: the time of the ‘Redcoats’, soon after it was built. We also make reference where Introduction – outside possible to how the fort was used in the Second World War for teachers studying this the fort topic with their classes. This information is highlighted in the official guidebook and 1 Ravelin also in the audio tours, available on-site. 2 Principal bridge and If you wish, you can get a leaflet with a more detailed map of the fort from the ticket gate office at the guardhouse. Please note however that our tour does not use the same 3 Parade ground, numbers for points of interest. guardroom and Ideally, split your class into groups of 8–10, to allow maximum participation. ‘Black Hole’ or prison Please note that the fort is large and it may take some time to walk between locations; the ramparts are over a kilometre long! Whatever the weather, the fort is 4 Grand magazine likely to be windy so please encourage your pupils to dress warmly. 5 Historic barrack Background information on each location is provided in this resource. It is written rooms in simple language so that it can be read out to pupils if desired. Also included are 6 Barrack square suggested questions for discussion in the form of teacher prompts, together with 7 Provision stores desired pupil responses to the questions. 8 Stables and well Information relating to the Second World War is highlighted so that it can be easily referred to or omitted, depending on the focus of your visit. 9 Chapel 10 Point battery After the tour If you have time after the tour, you may wish to visit the following: • Regimental Museum. This contains many objects and photographs relating to the former Queen’s Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) regiments. On the top floor landing are a few objects relating to the first years of the fort – a razor, a penny from the reign of George II, a watch and chain, an inkbottle, etc. If your interest is in the Second World War, there are many artefacts connected with campaigns from this time. • Two small exhibitions in rooms in the north casemates. One features an audiovisual presentation showing life in the fort in the past and today, using both re-enactors and contemporary soldiers. The other shows graphic panels illustrating life at the fort in the past. A pre-visit will help you decide if these are suitable for your pupils.

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Plan of Fort George showing tour locations

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1 Illustration by Stephen Conlin

1 Ravelin 6 Barrack square 2 Principal bridge and gate 7 Provision stores 3 Parade ground, guardroom 8 Stables and well and ‘Black Hole’ or prison 9 Chapel 4 Grand magazine 10 Point battery 5 Historic barrack rooms

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Introduction: Outside the fort, on the grass anywhere next to the Did you know? car park The Jacobites were Information for teachers. This can be read to pupils. supporters of King James • Let’s go back in time 250 years. It’s the middle of the 1700s. The British army has just VII and II, who was forced had a bad scare. Prince Charles Edward Stuart, also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, off the throne in 1689 to live abroad. They were turned up in Scotland in 1745 and raised his own army. His supporters were called called Jacobites after the Jacobites. They wanted to claim back the thrones of Scotland, England and Ireland for Latin word for James – the exiled Stuart family – and they nearly succeeded. Jacobus. The Jacobites • The British army were sometimes known as the Redcoats because of their red wanted to restore King James’s family – the tunics. They were beaten several times by Prince Charles and his army of Jacobites, Stuarts – to the throne who managed to get to within 100 miles of London. But eventually the British army of Britain again. Prince crushed the Jacobites at the Battle of Culloden, about 8 miles from here, in 1746. Charles was King James’s grandson • After Culloden, the Redcoats wanted to make sure that there would never be another rebellion like the Jacobite rising. They wanted to frighten people into behaving. They set up forts across Scotland where the army could be based, and built roads between them to make it easier to move soldiers from one place to another. • The biggest fort of all was this one – Fort George, named after King George II. For years it was the biggest, grandest fort in all of Europe. It took more than 20 years to build and was finally completed in 1769. It cost a huge amount of money to build – more than £20 million in today’s money – and more than the whole of Scotland earned in a year in those days! • By the time it was finished, Scotland was peaceful. There were no more Jacobite risings. The fort was never attacked. Fort George has been used as a military base ever since and there are still soldiers based here today. • In the Second World War Fort George was used as a training camp. Thousands of new recruits came here from all over Britain for six weeks of basic training before they went off to fight. It was also where they practised for particular events, such as the D-Day landings in France.

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Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses They thought very carefully about where to Surrounded by sea on three sides – good defences build the fort. Why do you think they chose Quite flat – easy to build on this place? In those days it was easier to transport people and building materials by sea than by land. Close to Inverness – the capital of the Highlands even in those days

Why do you think the army was willing to They were really scared that the Jacobites might rebel again. spend so much money on Fort George? They wanted to show how powerful they were with a big, flashy fort.

As we walk from the car park through to Probably very nervous, intimidated the ticket office, look all around you. How would you feel if you were visiting the fort 250 years ago?

Flat land on a promontory, surrounded by sea on three sides, made this the ideal location on which to build the fort. x Walk up the path, over a bridge and through a tunnel to arrive at the ticket office. Check in here with the site manager. Then turn around and follow the slope up towards the car park to stand on the triangular point of the ‘ravelin’ (Location 1).

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Location 1: Ravelin Did you know? Information for teachers. This can be read to pupils. In the Second World War, • This part of the fort is called the ravelin. From here you can see all the ways that the the guardhouse here fort is defended – and you would have got a good view of anyone about to attack you! was the start of the daily ‘chocolate run’. Although • The grassy slope which stretches away is called the glacis. It was designed to soak sweets were rationed, the up the power of enemy cannon balls if the enemy was firing at the fort from a church in Ardersier sold distance away. The earth of the glacis would absorb the force of the cannon ball and 48 bars of chocolate every keep the stone buildings safe. day which were ‘off the ration’. The race started In the Second World War from here: the men • The view from here would have looked very different. They were so short of space charged off down the road that they built wooden huts on the glacis for the new recruits to live in. They were and the first 48 came back munching chocolate! not expecting to be attacked from the ground any more.

Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses How many different obstacles can you Narrow path zigzags so enemy wouldn’t see to stop the enemy attacking? be able to see where they were going. High walls around the path – enemy would feel trapped if they got too close Wooden fence made out of spiked poles Cannons could fire at the enemy from further away. Ditch could be filled with water to stop enemy crossing. Narrow bridge could be hauled up. Have a look at one of the cannons. GR = Georgius Rex = King George Whose initials can you see on it? Do you think the cannons were They look pretty solid – difficult to move. designed to be moved? Do you think this mattered? It would be a problem if you wanted to fire at something which was not directly in the line of cannon fire. Where do you think the lookouts In the little ‘pepperpot’ towers would stand? Why do you think they are round? So that lookouts could see in lots of different directions Go and stand in the lookout towers The ravelin and see what you can see!

Do you think the British army expected From the land – very heavily defended that the Jacobites would attack from the land or from the sea?

x Return from the glacis back down the slope past the guardhouse. Go and stand on the bridge (Location 2).

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Location 2: Principal bridge and gate Did you know? Information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.

Like many building • Inside the fort there are still more defences! Even if you managed to get this far, there projects today, Fort were still lots of ways that the army would have stopped you getting any further. George cost far more • If the fort was attacked, this ditch could be filled with icy sea water. than expected. Its estimated cost was In the Second World War £92,673, 19 shillings and • This ditch was used as a place to practise shooting. They put a huge target at one end 1 penny – but in fact it – and there are still bullet holes in the wall! Later on there was a tennis court here. cost nearly £200,000 – more than double! Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses How would the army have defended this It’s a drawbridge; part of it could be bridge? hauled up to stop people crossing.

Look along the ditch. Can you see how Gates visible at the end could be opened they would have flooded the ditch? to let sea water pour in.

How many lookout towers can you see? five How many cannons can you see pointing eight at us as we cross the bridge?

What do you think the builders did with Used it to build the ravelin and other the earth they dug out to make the ditch? defences.

Look at the coat of arms above the principal gate. It is the coat of arms of King George II. Look for:

The main bridge leading into • the lion of Scotland • top left quarter of central circle the fort • the three lions of England • top left quarter of central circle • the harp of Ireland • bottom left quarter of central circle • another symbol of Scotland • thistle – bottom right outside circle • another symbol of England • rose – bottom left outside circle Why are there all these signs of England, To show this is a place for the British army Scotland and Ireland here? – made up of people from these countries You can also see the shield of Hanover, the part of Germany that King George’s family came from, in the bottom right of The coat of arms of King George II the circle. Look for the white horse. above the main gate How else is this gateway decorated? Different colours of stone around the arch

As you go through the gateway, look for Thick studded outer door, another door, how they would have kept people out. huge bolts

x Continue across the bridge and go through the stone gateway into the parade ground (Location 3).

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Location 3: Parade ground, guardroom and ‘Black Hole’ or prison Did you know? Information for teachers. This can be read to pupils. The stone to build Fort George came across • We’re now inside the fort itself – finally! Does it feel like you expected? the Moray Firth from • Inside the high walls the fort was like a separate village. When it was first built, the the Black Isle, the wood fort was home to around 2,000 soldiers. This included the permanent staff of the came from local forests, fort, from the fort governor to the baker, the gunners, whose job it was to man the the ironwork came cannons and other guns, and about 1,600 ordinary soldiers and officers. Within from Edinburgh and the these walls the Redcoat soldiers slept, ate and trained – and this still happens today. tools came mostly from Inverness. It must have • The fort had its own brewery for making beer, bakery for making bread, chapel for been good business for worshipping – and even prison for people who broke the rules of the fort. Scotland! • The grassy area is called the parade ground. This was where official displays took place and where soldiers might be awarded medals. It was also where officers played cricket and where the soldiers’ children enjoyed playing. • The parade ground is protected by high walls. Built into the walls are lots of small rooms, known as casemates. These were bomb-proof storage cellars which could be used as emergency barracks if the fort was bombed or under cannon fire. In the Second World War • The casemates were all used as accommodation for new recruits to the army and to carry out medical inspections.

Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses Look over the grass to the buildings. These are where the most important people in the fort lived: the fort governor and other staff officers, and the artillery men, who were in charge of the cannons. Where do you think the governor lived? In one of the grander ‘houses’ at either end were where the people in charge lived. Where do you think the artillery men lived? In the part in the centre.

Looking across the parade ground to the governor’s and officers’ quarters and the building where the artillery x On the left of the archway turn into the guardroom. men lived • This room is the main room for the guards. They would check everyone who came in or out of the fort – a bit like security guards today. • When the fort was built, there used to be wooden sleeping platforms for the guards who were not on duty. The beds you can see now were added in the late 1800s, and can be folded up.

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Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses The guards had long guns called muskets. At the end Wooden rack by window for of the musket was a long, sharp knife blade, called a holding muskets bayonet. Can you see where the guards would keep their muskets when they weren’t using them?

As you leave this room, look on either side of the door on the outside. Bored guards used to stand here. They used to sharpen their bayonets as they stood here. Can you see scratch marks on the stone? Scratch marks visible by the door The scratch marks on the stone were caused by guards Are there any guards at the fort today? Keep your Pupils’ own responses sharpening their bayonets. eyes open!

x Come out of the guardroom and into the parade ground. Before doing so, on the other side of the arch step into the prison room known as the ‘Black Hole’.

Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses Look around the room. Are there any windows? No windows and no light What would it be like if the door was closed? when the door is closed What do you think this room was used for? Used as a prison

One poor prisoner carved a message into the wall. Have a look at it and see if you can find: • the man’s name David Abernethy

• what he did wrong He was drunk while on guard duty! • how long he had to be in prison 60 days A prisoner’s message

x Walk up the middle of the parade ground. Walk between the two blocks of buildings. Then turn left. Follow the signs to the grand magazine – through a small doorway in a wall. Go through this and then stop before entering the magazine (Location 4).

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Location 4: Grand magazine Did you know? Information for teachers. This can be read to pupils. The rifles were officially called Land Pattern • This building has a strange name. It’s called a magazine. This was where the supplies Muskets – but everyone of gunpowder for the fort were kept. called it a ‘Brown Bess’! • During the war with the Jacobites, a government army fort near Loch Ness was Guns were often given blown up when the Jacobites fired a cannon at the magazine. The designers of Fort girls’ names. George wanted to make sure that this wouldn’t happen again. In the Second World War • The grassy area all around the magazine was planted with vegetables to feed the new recruits at the fort.

Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses Look around you at the high walls round So that if it caught fire or blew up, the the magazine. Why do you think it’s on rest of the fort would still be safe. its own, separated from the rest of the buildings of the fort?

x Go into the magazine. Information for teachers. This can be read to pupils. The magazine • Here you can see copies of the big barrels of gunpowder that used to be stored here. The soldiers used gunpowder to fire their muskets and the cannons. • The designers wanted to make sure that nothing in this building would create a spark which might start a fire so nothing in the building is made of iron. If you look at the floor, you can see that instead of nails, they used wooden pegs. The soldiers who worked here had to change into special clothing with no iron buckles or buttons, just in case they caused a spark too. • There used to be tanks of water kept nearby in case anything caught fire by mistake. • Also in this room you can see displays of equipment used by the soldiers who used to work at Fort George and a large scale model of the fort.

Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses Today this room is lit with electric light. Probably with a candle or oil lamp. How would it have been lit when it was first built? Why might this have been a risk? Could have started a fire very easily. Some metal is used in the building – but Ventilation covers, door sheeting made Barrels of gunpowder were not iron. The only metal allowed was of greenish bronze stored in the magazine. bronze, which doesn’t spark. Look for any part of the building which is made of metal – inside or out. This is bronze.

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Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses Look at the musket at the front of the display. Can you see the bayonet – the sharp blade which was attached to the end of the musket?

The musket was used for firing at people from For stabbing people at close a distance. How do you think the bayonet was distance used?

Look out too for the little twists of gunpowder, folded into paper cylinders. Can you see how the soldier carried these? In a special holder in a leather bag. Why do you think they were carried in such a To keep the gunpowder dry – if it strong bag? got wet, it would be useless. Muskets in the Seafield collection – notice the sharp Guns weren’t the only weapons carried by Swords, pikes – long sharp sticks bayonet blades. soldiers in those days. Look in the display cases for other weapons.

How were these weapons used? Fighting people near you, not far away

What does this tell us about how battles were Battles involved hand-to-hand fought in those days? fighting. Look for the drum. Read the label to find out The drum gave signals for soldiers two reasons why the drum was used in the to do things on the battlefield – army. like a referee’s whistle. The drum beat out the time for whipping if someone was being punished.

The model shows what Fort George looks like (Help pupils follow the route from above. Can you see where we came in? taken by the group.) Can you see where we are now? Why do you think this was a good place to Can easily see that the fort is build the fort? surrounded on three sides by the sea – makes it easier to defend. Can you see the harbour of the fort? What do you think this might have been used Unloading building materials – Model of the fort for? and men

x Leave the grand magazine. Go back through the door in the wall. Enter a door signed ‘Historic Barrack Rooms’ in the block opposite (Location 5).

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Location 5: Historic barrack rooms Did you know? Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.

A Redcoat soldier Room 1: Barracks room 1780 received only a shilling • This is a soldiers’ room from 1780, not long after the fort was built. This was where a week pay. From this he eight soldiers lived, washed, cooked, ate and slept. had to pay for his food, • Some soldiers were married and brought their wives and families with them. equipment and clothing. Some wives lived inside the fort, others set up home outside. Children at the fort were often in trouble for breaking windows, playing ball games in the barracks, or interfering with the cannons. In the Second World War • If you were based in one of these rooms in the Second World War, you were lucky – many men lived in very basic sheds outside the main fort. One man remembers waking up to find that his glass of water beside his bunk had frozen overnight! Other men remember being splashed by waves while waiting in the breakfast queue!

Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses This room was for eight men. How many beds are there Four in the room? So where did they all sleep? They had to share beds. The men had to do their own cooking. They collected Over the fire their rations of food every day from the provision store, and cooked it here. Can you see where they cooked it? Can you see a tap or basin here? No How do you think the soldiers washed? Had to collect water from the fort well and then There were only four toilet blocks, called latrines, for all the wash using a bucket. soldiers and all the officers when the fort was first built! Private John Anderson’s barrack room, 1780 One soldier out of every hundred men was allowed to have Behind the blanket hung his wife with him in the barracks. He and his wife were up in one corner of the allowed a little private space. Can you see where this was? room Do you think he had any children? Can see a cradle.

What do you think the man at the table is doing? Cleaning or repairing his musket Would you have liked to live like this? Pupils’ own responses Why do you think men joined the army in those days? It was a regular job; chance for adventure; desperation.

The other two historic rooms date from 1813 and 1868. The first shows an officer’s room, the second a soldiers’ barracks. These are not explored in detail here, but pupils could compare the barracks room of 1868 with that of 1780, and could talk Each soldier had a row of pegs about the differences in luxury between the barracks room and the officer’s room. above his bed on which to hang his kit. x Leave the historic barrack rooms by the other door to emerge into the barrack square (Location 6).

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Location 6: Barrack square Did you know? Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.

Redcoat soldiers spent • This is the barrack square. This was where the soldiers were trained in marching, a lot of time drilling: and in using their muskets and bayonets. practising marching and • The soldiers’ barrack rooms were all around. The men in charge of them were called using the rifles. They followed a strict daily officers. They lived here too, but in grander rooms. routine: In the Second World War 0500 Get out of bed to • The corners of the buildings were all painted white so that people could see where do chores they were going during the blackout. If you look carefully, you can still see traces of 0600 Drill the white paint.

0745 Breakfast

1000 More drill Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses

1200 Dinner Can you work out which the officers’ They were in the rooms with the bigger rooms were? windows. 1400 More drill Look for the dates when these buildings 1757 and 1763 1600 Tea were finished.

The barrack square

A corner painted white so that x Walk through the gap in the buildings. Continue between two more blocks, it could be seen during the blackout past the Seaforths’ regimental institute on your right, then stop before an arch with a clock (Location 7).

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Location 7: Provision stores Did you know? Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.

Some soldiers were so • We’ve just walked past the ordnance stores where all the bullets and cannonballs unhappy at Fort George were stored. The buildings in front of us now were the stores where all the food for that they called it ‘Fort the soldiers was kept – enough food and drink for about 2,000 men! Misery’! Would you have • On the left was a bakery. Bread was baked here every day in three huge ovens. The liked it here, do you baker lived in the house at the left-hand end. Oats and grain for making bread were think? kept on the first floor. • On the right was the brewery. Beer was brewed for the soldiers and was often safer to drink than water! • All the rest of the food for the soldiers was kept in the storerooms between the bakery and the brewery. It was handed out to soldiers every day as rations. They didn’t get much: o 1½ lb of bread (about the size of loaf today) o 1lb meat – about as much as six sausages – which included the weight of any bones o 2 pints of beer – about 1 litre • The soldiers cooked this food themselves and often made a thin meat stew. If they could get any vegetables or other food locally, they added that to the stew.

In the Second World War • This was where the new recruits were kitted out with their uniforms and rifles. There was also a gym hall where they trained, on the left side of the old ordnance store building and a prison.

Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses The building on the right was turned You can see bars on the window. into a prison later. What clues are there to show this? It’s still used as a ‘detention centre’ today – a kind of prison for soldiers.

The arch leading to the stables block x Walk through the arch and turn immediately left to the stables block (Location 8).

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Location 8: Stables and well Did you know? Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.

At various times animals • When the fort was first built, the fastest way of travelling by land was by horse. other than horses were These stables were probably used for horses for the baker and brewer and would kept at the fort. Beagles have pulled wagons carrying grain for making bread and beer. were kept for hunting • Outside the stables is the fort well, the source of water for all the fort’s needs. and pigs for meat. A pig called Charlie even won a trophy for Best Boar Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses at Nairn Show in 1950. What different things do you think the Carrying messages or letters to other Many regiments had army used horses for? forts dogs as mascots. When they died, they were Carrying soldiers quickly from one place buried at the fort. Their to another graves (not accessible) Pulling carts with supplies are beside the north rampart. Pulling cannon

Look for: All are obvious. • places for the horses’ food and water • a chain to tie up the horses • where the saddles and other pieces of equipment were kept • the drain so that the horses’ stables could be washed out

This well was the source of water for the Cooking, washing, cleaning, drinking fort. Think of all the things this water would have been used for when the fort was first built.

The stables

x Continue to the chapel (Location 9). Before entering, remind pupils that the chapel is still used as a place of worship and that some visitors go there to The well pray. Remind them of appropriate behaviour.

investigating historic sites: sites 18 FORT GEORGE

Location 9: Chapel

Did you know? Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils. • This building has been the fort chapel for nearly 250 years. This was where the The chapel was the soldiers used to come to pray to God – and still do. very last building to be completed at Fort • Ordinary soldiers used to sit in the middle section. Officers and their families sat George. Until then the upstairs in the galleries. Redcoat soldiers had • The flags you can see hanging up were all carried at battles by regiments of soldiers to go to the church at based at the fort. Kirkton of Ardersier for their compulsory Sunday • The pulpit is where the minister stands to preach. It’s unusual, because it has three church service. layers – it’s a triple-decker. The top layer is for the minister, the reader stands in the middle section to read from the Bible, and a person called the precentor stood in the bottom section and led the singing. • When the chapel was not being used for services, it was used as a schoolroom for the children of officers and soldiers – right up to 1941. The children used to sit on three rows of benches under the galleries, and the floor space in the middle was used for the teacher or for games. A big map of the world hung from the gallery.

In the Second World War • One soldier stationed here during the war remembers how they were taught to make a kind of home-made bomb called a Molotov Cocktail. To find out if it worked, one of the commanders threw his at the wall behind the chapel where, ‘to everyone’s amazement, it went off with a bang and a flash’. In 2004, bullets and the The chapel remains of hand grenades were found in this area.

Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses Look at the stained glass window behind the Angel playing the bagpipes altar at the end of the chapel. Look for something particularly Scottish in the top right-hand window. At the beginning of our tour we saw a gun with the Georgius III = King George III name of the king on it. High up above the pulpit,

look for the name of the next king written in Latin.

Can you work out the date that the chapel was MDCCLXVI = 1766 built? It is written in Roman numbers.

Why do you think chapels are specially important Risk of death in everything they to soldiers? do; want to pray for God’s help or thank God Look at the wall behind the chapel. See if you can Small blocked-up doorways spot where the girls’ and boys’ toilets used to be.

One stained glass window in the chapel shows an angel x Walk up the grassy ramp either side of the chapel to reach the Point battery playing the bagpipes. (Location 10). ! Please warn pupils of the sheer, unfenced drop between the battery and the chapel area.

investigating historic sites: sites FORT GEORGE 19

Location 10: Point battery

Did you know? Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils. • We are now high up on the ramparts, at the tip of Fort George. Although the fort The Redcoat soldiers was built mainly against an attack from the land, later on they were also worried used to fish for salmon off this point. Today, if it’s that they might be attacked from the sea. calm, you might be lucky • From here the fort could control the water between here and the north shore of enough to see bottlenose the Moray Firth. They could stop enemy ships coming further up the Firth. dolphins from the Point In the Second World War battery. Some people have even seen minke • If you looked along the coast here during the war, you would have seen wooden whales! posts all along the shore, to make it harder for enemy ships or gliders to land. In 1943 and 1944 the coast was used to practise for the D-Day landings in France – a major attack against the Nazis by Britain and her Allies from the sea. Men practised attacking and destroying copies of German gun posts built here and men were even killed in accidents with landing craft. • There was an obstacle course set up on the ramparts for training the soldiers. • The sheds by the harbour were used to keep pigs in. The pigs ate scraps of leftover food … and later on became food themselves!

Teacher prompts Desired pupil responses How is the fort defended against attacks from Cannons facing out to sea the sea? High, thick, strong ramparts above sea level

Look at the cannon at one of the corners. How is It can be moved around a bit to The fort was well protected by it different from the cannon we looked at first? focus on a particular target. ramparts and cannons. Look at the walls. How are they different from the Made of brick rather than stone walls of the barracks buildings and the chapel? The bricks were all made here at Fort George in special kilns.

x Unless it is very windy, walk all the way along the southern rampart, past the grand magazine. You can peer over the wall to see down into the old harbour.

This cannon can be moved Continue walking along the rampart to the Prince of Wales’ bastion and around to focus on a target. then down the slope back into the parade ground. Our tour is now finished.

investigating historic sites: sites 20 FORT GEORGE

FAQs Visiting Fort George Q What is the minimum number of adults Historic Scotland Education Unit required for supervision? Historic Scotland Education Investigating For information about school visits, the Jacobite Risings, Historic Scotland 2009 A 1 adult to 10 pupils. activities and resources for teachers visit Lots of background on the Risings and Q Is it possible to have a www.historic-scotland.gov.uk suggestions for class activities. guided tour? Location: Ardersier, off the A96, 6 miles Chris Tabraham and Doreen Grove A There is a programme west of Nairn, 11 miles north-east of Fortress Scotland and the Jacobites, of facilitated events and Inverness. Batsford 1995 activities, but no guided Pre-visits: We strongly recommend that Useful book exploring the roads and tours are available. teachers make a free visit to familiarise forts built in response to the Risings. Q Is there disabled themselves with the site and to make a Christopher Duffy The ’45, Phoenix 2007 access? risk assessment before bringing school Readable account of events of 1745 and parties. 1746. A Most of Fort George is on one level and is accessible Booking a visit: Phone 01667 460232 Stuart Reid British Redcoat 1740–93, to wheelchair users. Access to book a visit, discuss your needs and Osprey 1997 to the ramparts is via steep confirm opening times. Thorough guide to Redcoat army life. ramps. Cost: Admission is free to a range of www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/ Q Are there lunch educational groups including school nairn/fortgeorge facilities? parties. More information about free Good historical overview. visits can be found on the Historic A Pupils can picnic outside Scotland website. There may be a charge For pupils or can use the education for special activities. Terry Deary Bloody Scotland, Scholastic room by arrangement. 1998; Scoular Anderson 1745 and all that, Activities at Fort George: Special Q Where are the toilets? Birlinn 2001 activities for schools are often organised Provocative and informative. A There are toilets in the at Fort George. Details can be found on centre of Fort George. the Historic Scotland website or call Gordon Jarvie The Clans, NMS Publishing 2005 0131 668 8793/8736. Q Do you carry out risk Useful guide to the clan system. assessments on behalf of Parking: Large visitor car park. schools? Antony Kamm The Jacobites, HMSO/ Health and safety: Please note: NMS 1995 A Risk assessment of the Colourful guide to the Jacobite Risings. site is the responsibility of • Pupils should be supervised at all times the teacher in charge of the as there are sheer drops from the group. Hazard information ramparts which are not fenced. Acknowledgements sheets available on the • As part of our commitment to Green Author: Elspeth Mackay Historic Scotland website Tourism, we ask that all litter be Series editor: Sue Mitchell provide information that disposed of back at school. can help teachers prepare Copy editor: Jackie Henrie their risk assessments. Image credits: All images © Crown Additional resources copyright Historic Scotland unless Q Is there a shop? otherwise credited For teachers A There is a shop in the ticket Layout and production: The House office in the ravelin that sells Iain MacIvor; revised Doreen Grove With thanks to: Chris Tabraham postcards, guidebooks and Fort George, Historic Scotland 2006 souvenirs. Official guidebook, giving further details © Historic Scotland 2011 about the site.

investigating historic sites: sites