Georgetown, Ascension Island
| Georgetown | |
|---|---|
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Georgetown (2011) | |
 Map of Ascension Island showing Georgetown's location | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| British overseas territory |
 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha |
| Island | Ascension Island |
| First inhabited | 1815 |
| Founded by | Royal Navy |
| Named for | King George III |
| Capital of | Ascension Island |
| Population (2008) | |
| • Total | 450 (est.) |
| Time zone | GMT (UTC+0) |
Georgetown is the capital and chief settlement of Ascension Island, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, situated on the west coast of the island.
The town is centred on St Mary's Church, part of the Diocese of St Helena and the former Exiles Club, which is on the site of the original Royal Marines barracks from the times of Napoleon's exile to Saint Helena in the early 19th century. The town is named after King George III, who reigned at the time the island was claimed for Britain and garrisoned by the Admiralty in 1815. As well as the church, there is a pier, an athletics track, a small supermarket, Royal Mail post office, snackbar, hotel, police station, hospital, dental surgery and a library. There is no school however and pupils travel to Two Boats village, 3 miles inland.
The hill overlooking the town is called Cross Hill. On it is Fort Thornton, with some Victorian cannons and a pair of BL 5.5 inch Mark I naval guns that were originally fitted to HMS Hood. These guns were used to repel a German attack by U-124 on 9 December 1941 during World War II with surprisingly great success as the Germans did not approach the island again. There is another old fort on the other side of the town, Fort Hayes, which houses the museum of the Ascension Island Heritage Society.[1]
The town is a centre of culture on Ascension. It usually hosts local athletics events as well as being the start of the annual dew pond race from sea level to the highest point on the island on Green Mountain. Ascension Day activities (to celebrate the discovery of Ascension) are either hosted here or in nearby Two Boats village. As of 2008 the population was about 450. Nearby Long Beach is an important nesting ground for the giant Green turtle.
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Georgetown in the distance, from atop Green Mountain.
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The Old Barracks, Georgetown.
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The island's post office in Georgetown.
See also
References
- ↑ Ascension Island Information, Obsidian Group Ltd, retrieved 2013-03-28
External links
- Diocese of St Helena Parish of St Mary the Virgin
- BBC Weather Georgetown climate figures
Coordinates: 7°55′43″S 14°24′42″W / 7.92861°S 14.41167°W
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