Osborne's Fort
Tower In Holy Island, Northumberland
A ruined fort tower on the opposite side of the harbour to Lindisfarne Castle on Holy Island.
Love this place? Become its champion with a short message, memory, dedication, or local business mention and share your connection to somewhere special.
Support the Fabulous North and champion this place from:
Usually £2 / month
We're heading back on to Holy Island tonight for another little hidden treasure that you may have missed as you walked to the castle or priory.
Sitting next to Lindisfarne's pier this is the ruins of a tower that was part of a fort called Osborne's Fort. It has also been referred to as Steel End Fort or The Fort on The Heugh.
The fort was an irregular pentagonal shape and had gun platforms on the lower level around the south and east sides. There was also a redoubt (new word for me - means fort usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort) on the east side.
The fort would have supplemented the artillery on Lindisfarne Castle so any ships approaching the harbour would be caught in the cross fire.
Major Daniel Collingwood was the governor of Holy Island at the time and instructed Robert Trollope with its construction back in 1671, to protect Holy Island from Dutch raids.
However it's not known why it was called Osborne's Fort.
You can see how the fort would have looked on the nearby sign.
Not a bad view from the fort window either!
Get 2 points if you have visited this place. Already visited by 132 VIPs.
Login to bag this placeHow To Find Osborne's Fort
Where To Park For Osborne's Fort?
Lat / Long
55.67455, -1.800971
What three words
There is a big visitor car park just after the causeway.
Contributed by Simon Hawkins
Thanks for checking out this place on the Fabulous North! I do enjoy a wander out in to the countryside trying to find hidden gems that not many people know about. You can't beat a rogue pele tower up a remote hill, a mysterious stone circle or a stunning waterfall secluded in a forest.
More Places from Simon
More Places In Holy Island
Find more fabulous places in Holy Island, Northumberland and if you know of a place we haven't listed, then let us know.
Emmanuel Head Daymark
Lighthouse Holy Island NorthumberlandA white pyramid daymark on the north east Emmanuel Head of Holy Island.
Old Law Beacons On Guile Point
Lighthouse Holy Island NorthumberlandTwo obelisk navigation beacons that when lined up would direct you into Holy Island harbour.
Lindisfarne Castle
Castle Holy Island NorthumberlandA 16th Century, grade I listed castle on Holy Island only accessible from the Northumberland coast at low tide.
More Towers
So this tower wasn't enough and you want more? Don't worry we have you covered.
Eston Beacon
Tower Middlesbrough North YorkshireA stone monumnet standing on the Eston Hills that replaced a Napoleonic beacon.
Waterloo Monument
Tower Ancrum BordersA monument commemorating the Duke of Wellington's victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo.
Greenknowe Tower
Tower Gordon ScotlandA fine example of a 16th-century tower house, located just west of the village of Gordon, in the Scottish Borders
Never Miss A Fabulous Place
If you are afraid of missing out on all the fabulous places we post, or just want to be the first to know, then sign up to the Fabulous North.
Each week we will email you all the brand new places that we visit.
Sign Up To Alerts
Find Us On Facebook
We post all our new places daily on our Facebook Groups page, so join the group today and be notified when we add a new place.
Join Our Facebook GroupOsborne's Fort was listed in Tower // Northumberland // Holy Island