Signal Hill - 3

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Click on Photos for larger view.

Looking south from the top of Signal Hill, you see the Narrows and the village of Fort Amherst, named after the British Colonel William Amherst. The fort was built by the British garrison in the 1770s to help protect St. John's Harbour and The Narrows. Although this garrison has long since disappeared, it was refortified during World War II to help protect the harbour. This area also includes The Pancake Rocks where the antisubmarine net was anchored on the south side of The Narrows during WWII.

This area is also significant since it housed Newfoundland's first lighthouse. Actually, there have been three lighthouses on this spot. The first operated from 1813 until 1835 by voluntary contributions from vessels entering the harbour. This structure was replaced in 1852 and remained in operation until 1952. It was replaced in 1954 by the current structure.