York Redoubt National Historic Site: Halifax’s Hidden Historic Fort
I think we can all agree, finding something free AND fun can be challenging. And in the winter? Seemingly impossible. However, what if I told you there was a free, outdoor historic site that you could visit year round that is only a 20 minute drive from Halifax? Yes, it exists. I’m talking about York Redoubt, the National Historic Site.
As a seaside city, so much of Halifax’s history is ingrained in its military presence, with a large naval presence to this day. York Redoubt had a large role protecting Halifax Harbour for over a century.
Through these visits to forts on Georges Island, McNab’s Island, Point Pleasant Park and of course Citadel Hill, I have learned a lot more about Halifax’s military infrastructure and overall presence.
I also realized that I only had one more fort to visit to finally have checked all of the five national historic sites of the Halifax Defence Complex system off of my bucket list.
The Halifax Defence Complex
The Halifax Defence Complex is the city’s historic defence system, made up of military forts, used to protect the city of Halifax from any threats. Most of these forts were built in the 18th century and then decommissioned after the end of the Second World War. All five of these forts are national historic sites and are maintained and operated by Parks Canada.
The Halifax Defence Complex includes the following national historic sites:
- Halifax Citadel (Citadel Hill)
- Fort Charlotte (Georges Island)
- Fort McNab (McNab’s Island)
- Prince of Wales Tower (Point Pleasant Park)
- York Redoubt (Fergusons Cove)
Though the above are the five major points of the city’s defences, additional forts and batteries also worked together to defend the Harbour.
York Redoubt had two batteries close by, including Sandwich Point Battery and Connaught Battery.
Sandwich Point Battery
Sandwich Point Battery was built in the early 1900’s and was active during the First World War. It is located about a 650 meters from York Redoubt. Decommissioned halfway through the Second World War in 1943, the battery is now in disrepair. It is currently on the grounds of the Royal Canadian Navy’s Damage Control and Firefighting School. Due to this, Sandwich Point Battery is not accessible to the public.
Connaught Battery
The Connaught Battery during the First World War. This battery complimented York Redoubt. It’s only just over a kilometer away. Additional Searchlights, barracks and guns were installed at this site.
While many smaller batteries and forts currently are not accessible to the public, others such as Fort Ives on McNab’s Island can still be visited.
About York Redoubt
York Redoubt is a fort located in Ferguson’s Cove, Nova Scotia. The fort sits on top a bluff, towering 60m over even the narrowest point in the outer Harbour channel.
The fort was built in 1793 and saw many changes to its infrastructure through a century and a half of use. The site has had 27 buildings throughout its history, some still standing today.
Close to the mouth of the harbour, York Redoubt served as a key part of the Halifax Defence Complex.
Visiting York Redoubt
With only one more site left on my list, I was excited to plan a trip to York Redoubt. I had seen photos of graffitied walls. York Redoubt was a mystery to me. I was curious about this historic fort on the outskirts of the city.
I suggest wearing good walking shoes (such as sneakers or boots) and dressing a bit warm for the weather. As the fort is right by the ocean and on high ground, it’s easy for the wind to sweep in.
After pulling on a pair of hiking boots and a sweater, my partner Seth and I hopped in the car to start our adventure!
Getting to York Redoubt
Only about a 20 minute drive from downtown Halifax, York Redoubt is an easy afternoon trip if you have a car.
If you cannot drive or carpool, I suggest calling an Uber or cab.
Though there are a couple of different bus routes that go to York Redoubt, they triple the travel time. From the city core, bussing can take from 45 minutes to an hour each way.
Parking and Accessibility
The historic site has a small parking lot outside the gate fort’s gate, however it filled up quickly. There is a larger parking lot inside the fort’s walls.
Parks Canada’s website states that the park is open (meaning the gate buildings) from June 25th to Labour Day from 8am to 8pm. The grounds are open year around.
Visitors in the winter need to squeeze between the gate and the fort wall to enter, or enter through the side of the fort from a walking trail.
The space between the gate and the fort walls is narrow. It would be difficult to fit a wheelchair or stroller through this space.
Inside the fort, most areas are quite flat. There are pathways to follow and the grassy areas are easy to navigate. If you are looking to explore the edges of the fort, be prepared for rocky terrain and uneven ground.
Dogs at the Park
When visiting on a clear winter day, I noticed lots of dogs at the park. Most were very friendly or kept to themselves. According to Parks Canada, dogs are required to be on-leash when on grounds under the Canada National Parks Act.
Inside the Fort
As we walked through the entrance of York Redoubt, we entered an open space. To the left, there are plaques welcoming the visitor.
Informative Plaques
Not far from the entrance are four plaques introducing the visitor to the history of York Redoubt. The other two plaques pictured include maps.
The four plaques include points in York Redoubt’s history. They cover:
- 1800
- 1873
- 1900
- 1942
Let’s take a look at this these periods and what changes they brought to York Redoubt.
Keep an eye out for the different uniform changes for soldiers on the informative plaques!
1800
York Redoubt was first fortified in 1793, as war broke out between France and Britain.
British commander James Ogilvie was first in charge of the site. He ordered that a two gun battery be built.
By 1800, there were four times as many gun batteries placed. A Martello Tower and signal mast also stood on the grounds. Wooden walls protected the back of the fort.
The model of guns used were “24-pounder Smoothbore Gun”. Named for the 24 pound canon balls the guns were loaded with, this gun is a versatile weapon. The canon balls had long range, designed to hit ships in the Harbour. They could be lit to set targets on fire.
Martello Towers are round, often made of brick or stone. This building was used as barracks. On top of the tower there was the signal mast, used to warn other forts in case of attack.
These updates were done under the leadership of Prince Edward, who was the commander of Halifax from 1794 to 1800.
Edward decided to name the fort after his brother, the Duke of York.
1873
About 80 years after the site was first used, Canadian military technology had changed drastically.
The fort expanded. This allowed for newer, larger guns to be added. As warships transitioned from wood to iron, more powerful weapons were needed. Instead of canon balls, the new guns used pointed shells. Underground casemates for storing ammunition were added alongside the “Nine-Inch Rifled Muzzle-Loading Gun” (nicknamed RMLs).
Additional buildings such as the Cookhouse and the Officer’s Quarters can be seen on the map.
Stronger walls and ditches also helped secure the safety of the fort.
1900
The fort underwent major construction through the 1890’s. New guns again replaced some older models. The “Six-pound Quick-Fire Gun” was quicker to load. The newer guns were placed at the corner of the fort, whereas the RMLs still faced the ocean.
A quarry was included inside the fort’s walls, along with a stone breaking shed next door.
On the right side of the fort, an area was cleared. This served as a last stand keep, meaning that all soldiers would go there to defend themselves if invaders took over the fort.
1942
When Canada declared war on Nazi Germany in 1939, York Redoubt again saw high demand.
There were several infrastructure changes such as additional barracks, a garage, the Fire Command Post, and several storage buildings constructed. Along the path that spiraled the fort’s walls, additional batteries and an Engine Room were placed. Closer to the water, the guns placed here would have a better shot at enemy ships.
Arguably the most important part of York Redoubt’s wartime infrastructure was the submarine nets. The wire net, strung from one side of the mouth’s Harbour to the other, prevented submarines from invading Halifax. The batteries close to the shore protected the net with two “Six-Pounder Twin Gun Mountings” and three search lights.
As the gatekeeper of the Harbour, York Redoubt became the command centre for the city’s defences.
Today
York Redoubt looks quite different today. After the Second World War, the demand for military presence diminished. York Redoubt was in military use until 1956. Many of its buildings are no longer onsite.
The fort was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1962.
The Space
As the space is so open, it’s really up to you which way you go next.
After lots of learning, we headed to the left towards the Martello Tower.
Martello Tower
Directly behind the informative plaques is the Martello Tower.
The Martello Tower was first used as barracks and had a signal mast on its roof.
The tower has changed drastically since its appearance in the 1800 map. By 1900, the signal mast had been moved. An addition to the round building called a caponier call also be seen here. In case the fort was attacked, soldiers could use the space beside their barracks to safely shoot.
Off the Beaten Path
While walking through the greenspace, we noticed this pathway.
Being quite a curious person, I wanted to know where the path led. We decided to take the path. As we went through the doorway, we realized that we had left the fort.
The small path connects with a bigger trail, so we continued walking to see what we could find.
From the trail, there is an incredible view of the Halifax Harbour. Even though the trail wraps around the bottom of the fort, it was still much higher than sea level.
We spotted a lighthouse, and I realized that we were looking out onto McNab’s Island! This lighthouse is the same one we had a close up view of from the Cholera Cemetery on McNab’s Island.
Abandoned Building
Off to the side of the path, there is an old abandoned building.
I doubt checked the maps we saw at the front of the park. This structure was the Engine Room for the Searchlights.
Up ahead there was a small path that led to the doorway.
Here we started to see the graffiti that I had seen so often in photos.
Inside, the walls are filled with graffiti. There are a lot of profanities. In my experience, it is quite unique to see a historic site with graffiti.
From the map, it appeared that we had already passed the section of the woods where the York Shore Battery and Searchlights stood.
We wanted to keep following the walls of the fort, so we headed back to the trail.
As we continued down the path, Seth and I eventually reached the end of the fort. The path is a tad long, so we didn’t want to turn around. Between the walls of the fort and the rocks, there is enough room to scale up the hill.
So, that’s what we decided to do!
We finished scaling the rock filled hill to find crawling plants and a long, smooth wall. Seth and I followed the wall. Though it took awhile, we reached an old wooden gate with “York Redoubt” painted on its fading wood.
Guns
Once we entered the wooden gate, we were back inside the fort! Greeted again with the green open space of the interior, we headed past some of the newer builds such as the visitor information centre to check out the guns.
These are the RML guns, which we saw in the 1900 map of York Redoubt.
They are HUGE. On top of this, they are also on a track. When in use, the guns could be turned on the tracks and aimed at targets.
South-West Caponier
Caponiers are a fortified buildings for soldiers to shoot attackers from. This building helps soldiers protect themselves from enemy fire while shooting.
The South-West Caponier is well placed. It provides refuge for soldiers right beside the guns.
Cookhouse, Artillery Store & Canteen
Personally, I am curious to see where people ate through history. Cookhouses and canteens always peak my interest.
The first of these two long buildings is the Cookhouse. Built in 1873, it has four different rooms. There was a kitchen, wash room, food storage room, and a lamp oil storage room.
The Canteen doubled as a Artillery Store. Constructed in the 1870’s, the building’s original purpose was used to store guns. In the 1890’s, the canteen was added! Refreshments like beer and snacks were available for off duty soldiers.
Mystery Building
I couldn’t find this little building a plaque explaining its purpose. It is on the map, but it not labeled. My best guess is it may have been a guard house as the windows seem to large for a caponier.
The view from York Redoubt
Once we explored the building on site, we headed to the “Quick-Fire Guns” postings. Though the guns have been taken off site, the point is a fantastic spot to lookout at the Harbour. As the highest clear point of the fort, it’s a great spot to snap a photo.
From the photo below, you can see McNab’s Island as well as the path below the fort.
Here’s a clearer shot of the McNab’s Island Lighthouse.
Wrapping up our visit
The sun was starting to set, and as the clouds rolled in, our visit came to an end.
Before heading out, we took a look at the smaller canons by the fort’s parking lot. It’s a great spot to grab a last fun photo.
Final Thoughts
Though I do think that visiting York Redoubt in the summer may be a better experience as the buildings are opened for visitors, people are allowed on the ground year round. It can be difficult to find somewhere to get out of the house in the times. York Redoubt has lots of space to explore and learn about history.
I was unable to find out if there are interpreters at the site in the summer. I think it would be great to have staff on site that can share more stories of the soldiers who served at York Redoubt.
One thing I did find lacking from my visit was stories. I like hearing stories about individuals or groups when learning about history because it personifies the event. For me, it makes the experience more fun and relatable. All in all, I find learning easier to learn through stories.
I think stories are also a great way for diverse voices and different perspectives to be heard. I would like to see stories from not only the soldiers stationed in York Redoubt’s walls but their families, those who lived near the fort, and unique events that happened there.
If interpreters onsite is not an option, there are other ways to achieve this. More plaques could be added. I think that an app or website with a self guided tour would be ideal. People could read slides from or listen to the tour on the phone while going through the park.
Would I recommend a visit?
Making history accessible is one of the most important goals in the public history sphere, so I am happy that this site is free to visit all year.
The plaques onsite are very informative and plentiful throughout York Redoubt. There are lots of buildings and infrastructure to check out, as well as a walking trail below the fort. Both the fort and path offer an incredible view of the Halifax Harbour.
I would certainly recommend a visit for anyone who likes military history, likes exploring old historic infrastructure, or enjoys spending time outside in a unique space!
What’s your favourite fort?
Share below in the comments!
You may also be interested in:
Exploring McNab’s Island, Nova Scotia
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