Fort Hommet, Guernsey, United Kingdom

Fort Hommet (or Fort Houmet) was built on the site of fortifications dating back to 1680, and consists of a Martello tower from 1804, later additions during the Victorian Era, and bunkers and casemates that the Germans constructed during World War II.

The Martello tower was constructed after the onset of the Napoleonic Wars, and during the tenure (1803-1813) of Lieutenant GovernorGeneral Sir John Doyle. To simplify matters, Doyle had a local builder named Gray construct the tower, and two others, see below, under the rubric of 'fieldworks', thereby bypassing the Ordnance Corps.

The Fort Hommet tower, like the other two Guernsey martello towers, Fort Grey and Fort Saumarez, was intended as a keep for the battery in which it was placed. The Guernsey martellos are all smaller than the British martello towers, with the Fort Saumarez and Fort Hommet towers being smaller than the Fort Grey tower. Each mounted a 24-pounder carronade on the roof to support the battery. Fort Saumarez and Fort Hommet also have exterior staircases up to the second floor.

During the Victorian Era, the fort received additional batteries and barracks. In 1852, 68-pounder and 8' shell guns replaced some of the 24-pounder guns in the batteries.

The largest addition, however, occurred during World War II and the German occupation of the Channel Islands. The Germans recognized the enduring utility of the site and fortified it further, creating the Stützpunkt (Strongpoint) Rotenstein.

After the liberation of Guernsey in 1945, the British Army and the islanders stripped the fortifications. By the late 1940s all the metal fittings including guns and blast doors had been removed for scrap. Many of the bunkers including the gun-casemate at Fort Hommet, were buried in an attempt to return the coastal landscape to its pre-war condition.

More recently, the States of Guernsey have restored parts of the fort, and particularly the Fort Hommet 10.5 cm Coastal Defence Gun Casement Bunker. This is now open to visitors, though with restrictive hours.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Benna Pinder (8 months ago)
So much history of the German occupation. The restored bunker is very interesting. A good tourist place to visit. The chapel made of shells collected from the beach is fantastic.

Andrew Burgar (2 years ago)
Actually we visited the sacred heart Chapel. The interpretation boards explain everything and the videos set the scene. The chapel itself has been sensitively restored and I found the board showing the images and which story the related to especially of interest. My wife and I were moved by seeing some shells we donated collected by my late mother in law, to her memory still there with the letter from my wife. So thank you for that. The chapel will have a special place in our families heart.

Jason Kaine (2 years ago)
Interesting place and great views. You need cash for the restored bunker but the rest you can walk around

Mohit Panchal (2 years ago)
Absolutely breathtaking, perfect for a morning or evening walk with your doggo. Lots of parking around, and the views will leave you in awe

Ian Chamberlain (3 years ago)
16.08.2022 It wasn't open when I visited but it is possible to explore the outside of the fort.There is part of the fort,the German part that someone has converted into something very similar to the Little Chapel and the room is full of decorative seashells.It is open for one day every two weeks.I visited that on a previous visit to Guernsey and it was well worth the visit.Fort Hommet itself? I couldn't see any other part of it that was open.Hope you like the photos.They were taken on a very hot day.20.08.2022 The chapel of the sacred heart and the casemate was open today.I have written reviews if you wish to see them.Both are under casemate reviews.Its a longshot but if anyone is reading this in August 2002 a bunker attached to Fort Hommet is open on the 27.08 for the first time in over 30 years.Sadly my flight home is on that day.Hope you have a great time exploring Guernsey.

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