Description of Historic Place

St. Andrews Blockhouse is a wooden defensive structure located on the west point of the harbour at the extreme edge of the historic town of Saint Andrews, New Brunswick.

Heritage Value

St. Andrews Blockhouse was designated a National Historic Site because it is
- one of the few surviving Canadian examples of a type of military architecture,
- significant for its defensive role during the War of 1812.

The heritage value of St. Andrews Blockhouse lies in its illustration of a specific type of defensive structure, and in its origins during the War of 1812. It was built in 1812-13 by the citizens of Saint Andrews to safeguard against American raiders. During the late 19th century, it became a picturesque tourist attraction in the resort town of Saint Andrews, then was acquired and restored by National Historic Sites (1962-1967). The blockhouse was seriously damaged by fire in 1993, and once again restored to its early appearance.

Source: HSMBC Minutes, May and November 1962, July 1966; Commemorative Integrity Statement.

Character-Defining Elements

Key features contributing to the heritage value of this site include:
- the two-storey, square massing,
- its tripartite design with squat lower storey, overhanging upper storey, and pyramidal roof,
- the symmetrical articulation with a central door and regular window openings,
- defensive design with few door and window openings and many gun slits,
- the structural integrity of the blockhouse which has been maintained over nearly two centuries,
- its wooden construction materials,
- siting on a point of land with unobstructed viewplanes of the sea, the harbour, the town and its hinterland,
- its visibility from the harbour and the waterfront of the historic town of Saint Andrews.