The verandahs around the Officers Quarters in the New Barracks are replacements for the originals which have been lost over time, but they are still splendid
The whole of the Kingston and Arthur's Vale Historic Area is designated on the World heritage List as one of eleven sites in the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Property
The date stone on wall of the Crankmill
The Crankmill is now roofless - whose eyes have peered out of those window slits
Soldiers eyes would have peered out of the gun loop holes in the Old Barracks walls
Most of the old masonry was of limestone, some of which was quarried on the headland, but some was cut from tidal reef rock
I found no listing of masonry details on my brief visit, but to me, it looks like sandstone, from which the detailed masonry was carved for the finery of the Georgian buildings, must have been imported from Port Jackson - Sydney. A welcome ballast for the old sailing ships.
Many lesser buildings would have been built with timber, and all would have been roofed with shingles cut from the local trees
An old door - how old are these timbers
The rotting timbers of an old boat outside the Crankmill
One of the simple old headstones in the graveyard
The scripts on the headstones vary in style
Two soldiers graves - drowned in the same accident while working
Another soldier was drowned while relaxing in the bay
A fall from a horse was clearly of serious consequence
Firearms can be dangerous if not handled properly
The headstone of a freeman killed by a convict
The headstone of a convict - I assume
A fatalistic epitaph
A record of a painful death - I wonder what ailment caused the sad pain
Many of the names on the old headstones survive in the families who live on the island today
And many are proud descendants of the crew of the Bounty
No comments:
Post a Comment