Prince of Wales Fort began as a log fort in 1717, before being replaced by a stone bastion in 1731. This structure still stands with the original royal military cannons adorning its walls.
Despite its intimidating size, Prince of Wales Fort did not see action. The fort was manned by non-military English men who didn’t know how to operate the cannons, surrendering at the sight of French warships in 1782. During its capture, the French destroyed sections of the fort and rendered the cannons inoperable, but much of the stone structure remains intact to this day.
Now, you can walk the wooden boardwalk to this 18th-century Hudson’s Bay Company fur trade fortress. Visit the remains of the powder magazine and admire the cyphers on the cannons, each indicating the reigning monarch it was constructed under. The eloquently carved signatures of historic people who passed through the rampart walls bring the stones to life, transporting you back to an exciting and adventurous time in Canada’s founding days.
Prince of Whales Fort is a Historic Bastion fort on Hudson Bay across the Churchill River.
