{{Short description|Fort in Alderney}} {{Infobox Military Structure | name = Fort Clonque | partof = Fortifications of Alderney | location = Alderney | image = Alderney - Fort Clonque 02.jpg | image_size = 240px | caption = Fort Clonque at low tide | map_type = Channel Islands | coordinates = {{coord|49.7138|-2.2330|type:landmark_region:GG|display=inline}} | map_size = | map_alt = | map_caption = Shown within Channel Islands | type = British coastal defence fortress | materials = | height = | condition = good | ownership = Landmark Trust | open_to_public = Yes | battles = | events = German occupation of the Channel Islands }} '''Fort Clonque''' is a 19th-century coastal fortress in Alderney, in the Bailiwick of Guernsey in the Channel Islands built on a rocky outcrop of land joined to the island by a causeway that can be submerged at high tide.<ref name="Alderney">{{cite web |title=Fort Clonque |url=https://www.visitalderney.com/stay/fort-clonque/ |website=Visit Alderney |access-date=3 July 2025}}</ref> It was constructed at a time when French naval power was becoming an increasing concern to the British. It was manned by fifty-five men and fortified with up to ten guns, mostly 68-pounders; however, none were ever fired in anger.<ref name="HistoryAlbum">{{cite web |last1=Macqueen |first1=Jean |last2=Haslam |first2=Charlotte |last3=Patridge |first3=Colin |title=Fort Clonque History Album |url=https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/globalassets/3.-images-and-documents-to-keep/history-albums/fort-clonque-history-album.pdf |website=Landmark Trust |access-date=3 July 2025 |date=1999}}</ref>
== History == thumb|Fort Clonque in 2012 Fort Clonque was built by the British government as a response to the increasing power of the French navy and the expansion of the French port Cherbourg near the Channel Islands. The fort was constructed on a rocky outcrop of land on a small islet west of Alderney in the Bailiwick of Guernsey between 1853 and 1855. It was constructed by Captain William Jervois to protect the western side of Alderney and was fortified with fifty-five men and two officers with ten guns.<ref name="HistoryAlbum" /><ref name="PowellThomas">{{cite book |last1=Powell-Thomas |first1=Andrew |title=Channel Islands' Military Heritage |date=15 June 2024 |publisher=Amberley Publishing |isbn=9781398112841 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Channel_Islands_Military_Heritage/9hEMEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=fort+clonque&pg=PT136&printsec=frontcover}}</ref> At high tide, the fort is completely submerged and cut off from the rest of the island.<ref name="PowellThomas" />
The fort was decommissioned in 1929.<ref name="PowellThomas" /> A year later it went up for auction and was purchased by businessman Ralph Duplain for £27.<ref name="HistoryAlbum" />
Due to its strategic location, German forces occupied the fort during the German occupation of the Channel Islands in World War II. The Germans upgraded the fort and added modern gun positions.<ref name="PowellThomas" /><ref>{{cite book |last1=Burton |first1=Anthony |title=Astonishing Britain |date=1990 |publisher=David & Charles |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=9780715394694 |page=216 |url=https://archive.org/details/astonishingbrita0000burt/page/216/mode/2up?view=theater}}</ref>
Scenes from the film ''Seagulls Over Sorrento'' were shot at Fort Clonque in 1953.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fortifications |url=https://www.visitalderney.com/our-island/heritage/victorians-fortification/fortifications/ |website=Visit Alderney |access-date=3 July 2025}}</ref>
The fort fell into disuse before being bought by the Landmark Trust in 1966 and is now used as self-catering accommodation for up to thirteen people.<ref name="Alderney" />
In 2014, the fort was damaged by severe storms on the Channel Islands.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alderney's Fort Clonque damaged by storm |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-guernsey-26107233 |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=9 February 2014}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commonscat|Fort Clonque}} *[http://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/ Landmark Trust Website]
{{Forts Channel Islands}}
Category:Landmark Trust Category:Buildings and structures in Alderney Category:Castles in the Channel Islands Category:Military installations established in 1855 Category:Military installations closed in 1945