Fort de Saint-Héribert Grant

This grant will help the volunteers at Fort de Saint-Héribert create a unique simulation of the rolling bridge and its surroundings which protected the entrance to this late 19th Century triangular fort. The fort was attacked and taken in both world wars, surrendering with only 10 rounds left in 1940.

The only Belgian fatality in the 1940 siege was a soldier returning from a patrol who fell into the gap of the partially open rolling bridge and drowned. The work will therefore also be a memorial to this unfortunate soul.

After World War Two the fort, built between 1888 and 1892 to the design of Belgian fortification engineer General Henri-Alexis Brialmont, was abandoned and buried in household rubbish. In the last 10 years the owner and determined volunteers have started to excavate the site and successfully open it to visitors.

The grant will support the project to create a simulation of the rolling bridge. The work will also allow the opening up of two previously inaccessible rooms one of which will become a café.

Françoise Legros president of the foundation which owns Fort de Saint-Héribert said “we are delighted to receive this grant from the Fortress Study Group which will help us realise our plans. It will help to buy us materials to complement the hard work of our dedicated volunteers".

Chair of the Fortress Study Group, David Clarke said "Fort de Saint-Héribert deserves our support, it is the only site in the Namur Fortress that is regularly open to visitors, until recently it was entirely buried and it is being restored solely by voluntary effort".

Image: The entrance to the fort after excavation. The rolling bridge was within the archway.