Gates Fort

Frommer's Review

This small-scale, partially ruined two-story watchtower is capped with a cannon that (symbolically) monitors the entrance to St. George's harbor. With an interior of only two square and angular rooms, it was originally built in 1609 by its namesake, Sir Thomas Gates. Gates, who was one of the original band of settlers from the Sea Venture who colonized Bermuda, was later the governor-designate for the Colony of Virginia. In midsummer, when cruise ships drop their anchors for short sojourns in St. George, a gatekeeper in 18th-century costume sometimes hails onboard passengers with a "welcome to Bermuda" spate of bell ringing and an occasional cannon blast. There's virtually nothing to see inside -- the allure is entirely a byproduct of its isolated charm near the harbor's entrance.

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