Queens Staircase

The highest point in Nassau is steeped in history and those willing to climb 65 steps up the Queen's Staircase to Bennet's Hill will find two landmarks, each a reminder of Nassau's past. The climb itself is a trek through history.

Tucked away at the end of a long pathway lined and guarded by massive limestone walls is the impressive Queen's Staircase, which not only serves as an access to Fort Fincastle and the adjacent Water Tower, but also as a reminder of New Providence's slave history.

Towards the end of the 18th Century, New Providence was a target for French and Spanish marauders who sought control of the Caribbean islands, including The Bahamas. Fearing an invasion, the British, who had already colonized the country, built fortifications throughout New Providence and Hog Island (now Paradise Island).

Because of Fort Fincastle's strategic position on top of a high hill, a quick access route from the town of Nassau was needed to reach the fort in case of an attack. As a result, an escape route had to be created through solid limestone.

The task took a total of 16 years to complete and approximately 600 slaves used pickaxes to cut through the limestone, many of them worked to death in the process, creating a tunnel to the fort, and a stairway in the process.

It wasn't until decades later that the stairs were named the Queen's Staircase in honor of Queen Victoria who had signed a declaration to abolish slavery on her ascension to the throne in 1837. The 102-foot staircase was modified to include 64 steps, each representing a year of Queen Victoria's reign, however, two more steps were added for practical purposes to access the top of the hill. The bottom step of the staircase, though, was buried after the development of a paved pathway which leads to the staircase, leaving a total of 65 steps.

At the top of the Queen's Staircase and adjacent to the Water Tower, sits Fort Fincastle, the ship-shaped Fort Fincastle was built from cut limestone in the early 1790s during the 1787-96 governorship of Lord Dunmore, an eccentric fort builder. The fort took its name from Dunmore's second title, Viscount Fincastle.

In a letter to the Secretary of State, dated February 17, 1794, Dunmore described the fort as "a battery upon a hill in this island to the Eastwards of the Government House" which not only covers the Battery in Hog Island but all the Town and Road to the Eastward where the enemy might probably have effected a landing."

The enemy never came to attack the fort which carried two 24-pounder cannons; two 32-pounders, two 12-pounders and a Howitzer, so they were never fired in defense of the Island!

Because of Fort Fincastle's inactivity and its location on the highest point of Nassau, it later served as a lighthouse and signal station until 1817, when a lighthouse was constructed on Hog Island.

Also on top of Bennet's Hill, it is not difficult to spot the Water Tower, built in 1928 to maintain water pressure in Nassau. Standing 126 feet at approximately 216 feet above sea level, the top of the Water Tower offers a bird's eye view of New Providence, from coast to coast.

Cannons pointed at the harbor

view

water tower

view of the cannons

Paradise Island

Fort Fincastle

pointed bow of the fort

queens staircase wall

queens staircase

This tree is more than 200 hundred years old, a banyon tree, grown into the wall 

walkway to the staircase

view from the fort

another way to get around Nassau

wall of the walkway