Grey Point Fort

Grey Point Fort is one of the best preserved early 20th century coastal forts anywhere in the British Isles

Situated on the North Down coast, Grey Point Fort commanded the entrance to Belfast Lough from 1907. The fort was a key part of Belfast’s defences against naval attack, but it proved of limited value during the German air attacks on the city in 1941.

While the fort itself is rarely open to the public, its environs have been enhanced by our interpretation which engages the public with the stories of its almost 120 year military, social and natural heritage.

Tandem installed a series of outdoor totems and lecterns along a newly upgraded accessible path. The fort’s searchlight emplacements were enhanced with new interpretive metalwork, and we restored and re-presented the First World War training trench to interpret how it would have looked c.1914-1918.

Our graphic language was designed to draw on the history of the fort, and we produced a cohesive signage suite which helped to guide visitors around the site.

The area surrounding Grey Point Fort is a natural haven. Nearby lies the Crawfordsburn Country Park, an Area of Special Scientific Interest, that is teeming with wildlife. Our interpretation also enhanced the North Down
Coastal Path which connects the fort to the country park, engaging visitors with their senses and surroundings.

Visitors can see the original observation post, guns, three searchlight positions and a recreation of a
First World War trench.