Fort Saumarez

About Fort Saumarez

The original Martello tower was constructed in 1804 on the site of an existing battery. During World War II, when the Island was occupied by the Germans the site was redeveloped and a four story concrete observation tower was built on top of the original granite structure.

This tower, along with other batteries that surrounded the Island were constructed to form part of Hitler's 'Atlantic Wall'. These were in place to prevent the allies from invading the northern coast of France.

For those who want to explore more of the Occupation story, Guernsey History Trails offers a great app guide which is available to buy. Covering the Occupation 1940-1945, the 2 self-guided tour trails - the St Peter Port Trail by foot and the Island Trail - will let you walk in the path of history while enjoying some of the most beautiful vantage points in Guernsey. Each walk takes approximately 2 hours if you walk it in its entirety or you could alternatively explore by bicycle or car.

What's On

In 1942, the occupying Germans built a huge concrete observation tower here and used nearby Lihou Island for target practice, destroying the original buildings. The fort is now privately owned.