Charles Fort

Detached seven-bay two-storey former barrack store, built c.1770, possibly original in use as officer's house, now in use as museum. Hipped slate roof with tooled limestone eaves course and cast-iron rainwater goods. Snecked rubble stone walls with tooled stone capped plinth having occasional air vents with cast-iron grills. Round-headed window openings with red brick block-and-start surrounds and stone sills to ground floor, having six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows having spoked fanlights to upper sashes. Square-headed window openings with red brick block-and-start surrounds and stone sills to first floor, having six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows. Square-headed door opening to front (south-east) elevation having tooled limestone surround, surmounted by dentilated cornice. Replacement timber panelled double-leaf doors with cut limestone stepped approach. Round-headed door opening with red brick block-and-start surround to side (north-east) elevation. Cut limestone doorstep and replacement double-leaf glazed timber doors surmounted by spoked fanlight. Adjoining outbuilding to side (south-west) in ruins.

This former barracks store is of a design more akin to a high status Georgian house and may have originally been built as the residence of a commanding officer. Its well-proportioned symmetrical façade is enlivened by red brick block-and-start surrounds, timber sliding sash windows and a well-crafted limestone door surround with stepped approach. While the fort's ramparts and bastions retain much of their original seventeenth century form and fabric intact, buildings were added within throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to meet changing military requirement. Together with these structures, this building forms part of an outstanding architectural group which has played a significant role in the country's history.