Harry's Walls, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly
These partly built walls belong to an unfinished fort. Henry VIII began building a chain of artillery (gun) forts and blockhouses to guard the harbours and beaches of southern England. In 1551 Edward VI (Henry VIII's son) began building a much more up-to-date fort, the remains of which are now known as Harry’s Walls. Harry is short for Henry. The heavy guns were planned to protect the approaches to Hugh Town, with its large, sheltered harbour. The fort was never finished because the builder realised that it was not being built in the best position. The site is now in the care of English Heritage (2011). Find out more.
