Safeguarding the historical heritage at Fort Chambray

The Knights of St John, intent on strengthening Gozo's defences, set up a commission in 1722 to study the matter.

It was suggested that a fortified city be built on the promontory, which was called Ras it-Tafal, overlooking the harbour of Mgarr.

At that time no funds were available but work on the project eventually started in 1749 when the French knight Bali Jacques Francois de Chambray, who was governor of Gozo, donated 40,000 scudi for this purpose.

Three walls were constructed and the front side overlooking the harbour was strengthened with bigger bastions and a number of cannons. Consequently, an ammunition store, or polverista, was also built.

During its 255 years of history, the fort played a major role as a military station and hospital rather than as a fortress. After it was built, pirate attacks all but ceased and during the French invasion of June 1798 it was taken over for a while by the French.

After the French capitulation, ironically, it served as a prison for a few French soldiers who were under arrest.

British troops were stationed at Fort Chambray from 1800. By 1830, it had its own small hospital, and when Military Hospitals inspector Dr John Hennen paid a visit, he recorded: "The barracks are contained in one building three storeys high. The whole forms an establishment in which 250 men can be well accommodated. Within the walls of the Fort is a very comfortable and compact little hospital of four wards, capable of accommodating 20 men extremely well, with kitchen, surgery, etc., but it has very rarely more than two or three inhabitants."

Due to its new function as a hospital, there used to be a resident doctor on duty and an apartment was allocated as a residence for the medical officer. These quarters were subsequently known as Dar it-Tabib.

The hospital at Fort Chambray was in full use during the Crimean War (1854-1856). After the war it resumed its normal duties, and over the next 25 years was used by Maltese civilians as well as British soldiers and sailors, when various fever epidemics occurred throughout the islands.

Intense activity resumed in 1882, when it was used as a base hospital for the anticipated casualties from the conflict in Egypt. Things went back to normal for about 30 years until Malta was involved in World War I, which started in 1914. Casualties from the Gallipoli landings and the Salonika expedition were brought here in large numbers. Thankfully, the numbers fell quickly; so much so that by the end of March 1916, the convalescent depot was closed down. The military later gave up Fort Chambray, and from 1934 to 1983 it was used as a civilian mental hospital, with one section as a leprosy unit from 1937 to 1956.

There were three cemeteries associated with the fort, all starting from around 1800: a Protestant burial ground within the fort itself, near the doctors' quarters; and two in the ditches outside, one for Roman Catholics on the left and one for Protestants on the right-hand side of the main entrance.

Permission was given to develop the fort and its surrounding area into a holiday complex in the early 1990s, and the cemetery inside the fort was cleared of graves and human remains on July 1, 1991.

After some preliminary site work had taken place, the project was put on hold, and no further work on the fort has taken place since.

Last July, a press release issued by the Ministry for Investment, Industry and Information Technology said that the government had signed heads of agreement with Dr Michael Caruana and his family to enable them to take sole responsibility for the development of Fort Chambray, under new terms and conditions. On December 17 the House of Representatives approved the emphyteutical grant of Fort Chambray to the Caruana family.

MEPA has already raised various issues with the previous developers, stating that the development methods used have damaged historical sites and it is not in line with permits issued.

For instance, all the three cemeteries have been destroyed. It must be ensured that no more damage will be inflicted on the historical heritage of this fort, especially with regard to the preservation and restoration of the building known as the Knights' Barracks.

It was reported that restoration work had been carried out on the doctors' quarters and the ammunition stores or Polverista. The characteristics of Dar it-Tabib should be preserved and protected for their historical value.

Above all, the public should continue to have access to the historical parts of the fort and be able to enjoy the magnificent view of Mgarr Harbour and the channel between the islands.

It is also important that the site not be overbuilt since, from the construction carried out so far, one gets the impression that there will be a ghetto of apartments rather than a high profile development.

Preferably, one would like to see a new hotel on this site as it will help the fragile Gozitan economy and provide much needed work opportunities for our young generation.

Finally, the fortifications themselves are crumbling and in need of restoration. It is hoped that these will be given importance and MEPA will protect them by imposing clear, binding conditions on the developers to do the necessary works as part of the permits it grants to them.