Penang, Fort Cornwallis

[dirtydog]

Now this place is quite old, it costs 3 ringit to get in and is worth the money if your bored shitless, the adverts tell you about all the staff dressed up in colonial gear etc and there being guides, well to tell you the truth the woman in the ticket counter is dressed up in colonial gear, but as she is behind dark glass in her little booth you don't actually get to see her, the only reason I saw her was cos she came out and asked if I wanted my picture taken with the old statue of Francis Light, the other staff dressed up in the dress of the times must have been in hiding.

Anyway onto the history of the fort I suppose, Francis Light zoomed in there in 1786, whooped there asses and built a fort, this is a star shaped fort, and no, I have no idea why it is a star shaped fort, anyway he named it after his buddy Charles Cornwallis who was like the top dog in Bengal, yep he was the governor general.

In 1789 Francis Light rebuilt it again, not sure why but he got convicts to build it for him so he got it done real cheap, 67,000 spainish dollars dont sound so bad does it well thats how much it cost him and they lazy gits didn't finish till 1793.

Anyway this was the first military installation of the East India company, didn't they supply tea? I just couldn't imagine a tea bag company needing the military....

Anyway the whiteys stayed in the fort and the slaves had to live outside the fort.

They also had a big moat around the fort, 10 meters wide and 2 meters deep, they filled that in about 100 years ago due to malaria, although I got bitten to fok there by the old tiger striped daytime mossies.

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[dirtydog]

Anyway as you will see they have a load of canons there, albeit all a bit rusty.

[dirtydog]

This is the main guy Francis Light, the next picture is supposedly his gun, I doubt it very much.

[dirtydog]

Now this canon is the one to get your bird pregnant, us uk bstards stole it from the dutch, it is called the Seri Rambai and was made in 1603, but if your bird goes there and sticks flowers near it she will be up the duff quicker than you can blinkj your eye, well that"s what they reckon anyway.






very phallic

[dirtydog]

Next up we have the gunpowder magazine, I did laugh when I saw the no smoking sign as I walked in there, a 1990s sign for the 1700s, now that was quite funny, so I didn't bother putting out my cigarette.






This they had built real strong, I was quite suprised.

[dirtydog]

[dirtydog]

Living in the old fort dont look really comfortable.

[dirtydog]

But it does seem Francis Light did think of entertainment, although this building does look a bit newish.

[dirtydog]

Time for some pictures of canons I suppose.

[dirtydog]

On my wanders round the fort I came across this.






Now this was the corner where I could get a picture of the famous clock tower in Penang, I looked and there wernt no horse, yep it was a load of bollox the sign, so I opened the gate and went to take my picture of the clock tower, when I stepped into a pile of horse shite I did start wondering, then I heard the nasty viscious beast, I assumed it was a tape recording, you know like one of those joke things, fok was I wrong.

[dirtydog]

They even have a prisoner cell in the fort, what suprises me is that the jail is nicer than the tents the good guys stayed in, nice tiles and aircon aswell.







OK, maybe the aircon was a later addition

[dirtydog]

Introduction
Fort Cornwallis - named after the Governor-General in Bengal, Charles Cornwallis – is one of the most interesting historical landmarks in George Town, located close to the Esplanade, next to the Victoria Memorial Clock.
The fort's walls, roughly 10 feet high, are laid out in star-like formation. A stroll along the perimeters takes roughly 10 minutes. Inside the fort, one can still see some of the original structures built over a century ago, including a chapel, prison cells, which were once used as barracks, a munitions storage area, a harbour light once used to signal incoming ships, the original flagstaff and several old bronze canons, one of which is a Dutch canon called the Seri Rambai, dated 1603. An interesting note about the Seri Rambai - some locals believe that this particular canon can have a positive effect on a woman's fertility.
Today, this privately managed historical site is popular among visitors, equipped with a tourist information kiosk, cafe, an open-air amphitheatre, a history gallery, a souvenir centre as well as guides who can take you around the fort grounds and provide you with a glimpse of the fort's history.
Opening hours for Fort Cornwallis is from 8.30am to 6.30pm daily and the admission fees are RM3.00 for adults and RM2.00 for children below 12 years old.
History
One of the earliest structures in Pulau Pinang, Fort Cornwallis was erected in 1786, not long after he acquired Pulau Pinang for the East India Company, from the Sultan of Kedah. The site where the fort was built is actually the first place where Light disembarked from his ship in 1768. Fort Cornwallis was originally built of nibong palms, but was replaced in 1804 with a sturdier stone and brick structure.
Although built for defense by design, throughout its existence, Fort Cornwallis served more as an administrative centre for the British, having survived without much threat of enemy attacks. Fort Cornwallis was once surrounded with a moat roughly 9m wide and 2m deep. Along the perimeters of the fort's wall, several canon bays were strategically placed overlooking the harbour in the north and the port activities along the eastern waterfront. In the 1920's due to a malaria outbreak in the area, the moat surrounding Fort Cornwallis was filled in.
The chapel located on the south-west corner of the fort is the first chapel ever built on Penang island and was used by the British and Europeans living there. The first-ever recorded service, however was in 1799 when John Timmers wedded Martina Rozells, the widow of Francis Light.
Travel Advice
Fort Cornwallis offers the service of friendly and knowledgeable tour guides, dressed up in smart, red colonial soldier outfits, who can give you a quick and insightful tour of the fort grounds for a small fee. Without the aid of a guidebook or background knowledge of Fort Cornwallis' history, engaging these guides to take you around will be well worth the money!

For more information, please contact:
Fort Cornwallis
Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah
10200 Georgetown, Penang
Tel: +604-2610260 / 261
Fax: +604-2610260
Email: sebagus[at]tm.net.my


http://www.virtualmalaysia.com/desti...ornwallis.html

[Marmite the Dog]

Nice post DD, but I'd re-check your dates in the OP mate (unless he had a time machine).

[Goddess of Whatever]

MtD posted a good side of Penang and now, DD shows us other side.

Nice.

[dirtydog]

Thank you marmers it has been corrected, yes gow, as you can see I am more into culture whereas marmers is more interested in getting pissed out of his head

[dirtydog]

The picture of the clock tower I forgot to post.




The clock tower at the junction of Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah and Lebuh Light. The clock tower was built to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, it is 60 foot tall, one foot for each year of Victoria's reign.

[Marmite the Dog]

Another pic of the clock tower.

[colourful-era]

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Thank you marmers it has been corrected, yes gow, as you can see I am more into culture whereas marmers is more interested in getting pissed out of his head

I agree with that one - Marmite's no conoisseur of culture.

Did you drink any Spey Royal down there Dog?


I too saw that horse - the fucker nearly bit me when I was stroking the other more friendly one.

[dirtydog]

I believe I bought a bottle of Jim Bean at the duty free, may have been jonny walker though.
After seeing the wild bstard horse I assumed the other one was the same so steered clear of him, at first though i really did think it was one of those joke recordings that go off as you walk past a sensor.

[DrAndy]

Originally Posted by dirtydog

They also had a big moat around the fort, 10 meters wide and 2 meters deep, they filled that in about 100 years ago due to malaria, although I got bitten to fok there by the old tiger striped daytime mossies.

Oh dear DD, those Tiger mossies are the ones that carry Dengue fever!!

if you feel poorly, with flu like symptoms, go see a doc and tell him the possibility

I hope no probs though. I had Dengue a few years ago, luckily not a serious case, not nice.

Actually, you posted about a week ago, so you would be ill by now