FORT Regent has sat on the hill above St Helier for more than 200 years.
These days it is a sports and leisure centre, but it was actually built to counter a threat that never materialised, as in 1806 Napoleon was at the height of his powers and an attack on Britain was a distinct possibility.
Jersey was seen as a specific target because it had become a refuge for opponents of the French Emperor.
It was with this in mind that the Lieutenant-Governor, Lieutenant-General George Don, commissioned the building of a large fort to protect St Helier and its harbour.
Sadly, much of the grandeur of the building has faded in the years since the height of its popularity as a bustling tourist centre in the 1970s and early 80s. The swimming pool on the east bastion is closed and facilities such as crazy golf remain in place but not in use.
Visitors rarely walk the ramparts today, but those few who do venture around can enjoy spectacular views of the fort itself and of St Helier, and the eastern side of the town in particular, as shown by these pictures taken by JEP deputy picture editor Matthew Hotton from the Fort’s perimeter.
• Picture above: Looking onto Snow Hill (00645127)
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