Redout of Arbaud

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The dread of Arbaud is a fortification built at the end of the 18th century on the island of Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe, in the context of the Franco-English war (1778-1783). Commanded by the Earl of Arbaud, governor of the island, it was built urgently between September 1778 and March 1780 to strengthen coastal defences in the face of British threats. Mainly wooden, it was located on a ridge overlooking Grande Anse Bay, a strategic point to control landings.

Armed with an 18-calibre gun and two 6-calibre guns in 1779, the dread was integrated into a defensive network including other works such as the Gagneron dread and the Marre battery. During the English attack of 1794, it served as the first line of defence before being abandoned around 1798. Its remains, rediscovered in 2010, were listed as historical monuments in 2016.

Archaeological excavations conducted between 2010 and 2012 revealed a 800 m2 platform, a masonry door, a bridge and a ditch. These discoveries enabled a better understanding of the architecture of the colonial 'passenger' fortifications. The dread illustrates French military strategies to protect the West Indies during the conflicts of the eighteenth century.

Today, the remains of Arbaud's dread, located on the territory of Trois-Rivières, are protected and bear witness to the military and colonial history of Guadeloupe. Their inscription in 2016 underlines their heritage importance in the historical landscape of the French Antilles.

External links