Old Fort, Fort William

The Old Fort lies beside the water where two sea lochs meet. It was first built in 1654 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, in the time of Oliver Cromwell. General George Monck ordered the construction of the original fort, then called Inverlochy Fort. It was used by the government army to control movement through the Great Glen and to weaken the power of local clans, especially Clan Cameron.

The first fort was a simple wooden structure with turf and wattle ramparts, built quickly for military use. In 1690, it was rebuilt in stone under General Hugh MacKay and renamed Fort William after King William III. This version became a key military base and withstood a two-week Jacobite siege in March and April 1746, staying under government control.

The fort remained in military use until 1854. Most of the visible damage dates from 1889, when the site was sold to the West Highland Railway Company and much of it was removed. Today, visitors can see low stone walls, parts of the ramparts, a sea gate, and several cannons, with information boards explaining the site’s history.