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 CNHS - St. Andrews Blockhouse - St. Andrews, NB Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 45° 04.625 W 067° 03.718
19T E 652541 N 4993340
Built at the beginning of the War of 1812 by townspeople fearful of attack by the US, this blockhouse is the only one remaining of two constructed for defence of the town of St. Andrews and the last remaining blockhouse in New Brunswick.
Waymark Code: WMPTY9
Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Date Posted: 10/20/2015
Views: 6
Having survived 180 years of weather, wars and more, the blockhouse was nearly destroyed in 1993, when fire reared its ugly head. Fortunately it was saved and was subsequently restored to near original condition. Though built to protect the town from seaborne attack by the Americans, the attack never materialized and, manned by militia and British soldiers through the war, the blockhouse sat out the war quietly.
In 1857 it became a private residence for 30 years, and later a teahouse for a short time. As early as the late 19th century, it became a picturesque tourist attraction in the resort town of St. Andrews.
Today this is the only blockhouse in New Brunswick to have survived and is the only remaining blockhouse in Canada from the War of 1812.
ST. ANDREWS BLOCKHOUSE
The West Point Blockhouse and a battery were erected by the townspeople of St. Andrews at the outbreak of the War of 1812-14 in anticipation of a seaborne attack from the United States. Along with other defensive positions they were manned by local militia and British regulars throughout the War. Later the Blockhouse served as a barracks and as storehouse. It is one of the few examples surviving in Canada of a once common defensive structure.
Due to their simple design, and the abundance of timber, blockhouses were a quick and inexpensive method of protection. They also had many uses: fortify a battery, serve as a barracks, or as a storage place for weapons and side arms. Many blockhouses were built in New Brunswick for the War of 1812. Of those, St. Andrews Blockhouse is the only one still in existence, and is one of the oldest surviving blockhouses in Canada.
From Parks Canada
The War of 1812
Tension in the Colony
It is June of 1812, and war has been declared between the United States and Great Britain! Tension has been simmering between these two nations for many years and for many reasons.
One reason is that the US resented the British Royal Navy's practice of halting American vessels, and then forcibly removing any sailors that were suspected of deserting the Royal Navy. For Great Britain, this was a way to strengthen their navy in the fight against Napoleon in Europe; for the United States, this was a violation of American neutrality.
Another reason had to do with the hostile clashes between First Nations peoples and American settlers in the West. Many Americans believed that the British supported and encouraged the First Nations to resist further westward expansion.
Furthermore, to many American leaders, British North America was desirable territory to obtain. Conquering the colony would fulfill their vision of the US occupying all of North America.
Now British North America must respond to the call to war. New Brunswick is valued for providing an overland route to Canada's interior, and as an advance post for Halifax. Although St. Andrews is located near the American border, military officials did not deem it necessary to increase the town's existing defenses. The people of St. Andrews, however, saw things quite differently. They feared attacks, not from their closest neighbours and trading partners in New England, but rather from raiding privateers sailing up from the states further south.
As a result, funds were raised by the residents of the town to cover the cost of constructing two batteries, each with its own blockhouse.The St. Andrews blockhouse was the one built on the western side of the town, in the summer of 1813. This western battery would eventually be equipped with three 18-pounder guns, plus two 9-pounders. On the Blockhouse's upper floor, a much smaller gun was mounted, while several Royal Artillery soldiers occupied the bottom floor for the duration of the war.
From Parks Canada St. Andrews Blockhouse
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
St. Andrews Blockhouse is a wooden defensive structure located on the west point of the harbour at the extreme edge of the historic town of St. Andrews, New Brunswick.
HERITAGE VALUE
St. Andrews Blockhouse was designated a National Historic Site because it is
- one of the few surviving Canadian examples of a type of military architecture,
- significant for its defensive role during the War of 1812.
The heritage value of St. Andrews Blockhouse lies in its illustration of a specific type of defensive structure, and in its origins during the War of 1812. It was built in 1812-13 by the citizens of St. Andrews to safeguard against American raiders. During the late 19th century, it became a picturesque tourist attraction in the resort town of St. Andrews, then was acquired and restored by National Historic Sites (1962-1967). The blockhouse was seriously damaged by fire in 1993, and once again restored to its early appearance.
CHARACTER-DEFINING ELEMENTS
- the two-storey, square massing,
- its tripartite design with squat lower storey, overhanging upper storey, and pyramidal roof,
- the symmetrical articulation with a central door and regular window openings,
- defensive design with few door and window openings and many gun slits,
- the structural integrity of the blockhouse which has been maintained over nearly two centuries,
- its wooden construction materials,
- siting on a point of land with unobstructed viewplanes of the sea, the harbour, the town and its hinterland,
- its visibility from the harbour and the waterfront of the historic town of St. Andrews.
From Historic Places Canada
Classification: National Historic Site
Province or Territory: New Brunswick
Location - City name/Town name: St. Andrews
Link to Parks Canada entry (must be on www.pc.gc.ca): [Web Link]
Link to HistoricPlaces.ca: [Web Link]
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