The old fort was in poor state and General Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey, Governor of Guernsey from 1797 to 1807 was having difficulty persuading the island to improve its defences.
Das alte Fort war in schlechtem Zustand und General Charles Grey, 1. Earl Grey, 1797–1807 Gouverneur von Guernsey, hatte Schwierigkeiten, die Insel zu überzeugen, ihre Verteidigungsanlagen auszubauen.