Fort Cornwallis
A stroll through the streets of George Town can feel like a walk in a museum. Colourful markets, grandiose colonial mansions, bustling hawker stalls – every corner of the eclectic city is simply bursting with soul and rich history.
It’s no surprise that a treasure trove of a city like that holds ancient monuments of immense historical significance to Malaysia as a whole.
One that you may have come across many times in your Sejarah textbook is Fort Cornwallis in Penang. This historical fortress was built way back during the British occupation in then-Malaya as a defensive structure and a military base.
We recently visited this site to bring you this guide on what to see there.
A historical fortress that dates all the way back to 1786
One spot that contributed to the listing of George Town as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Fort Cornwallis in Penang is a historical fortress counted among Malaysia’s monumental gems. It has a long and varied history which dates back to 1786, when the British first settled on the island.
Today, you can visit the site for RM10/pax if you’re a MyKad holder, or RM20/pax for visiting tourists.
As history goes, Captain Francis Light from the British East India Company claimed possession of a plot of land by the sea upon stepping ashore in Penang. He then built the original fort on the exact spot where the structure we see stands today.
The fort was named after the Governor-General of Bengal at the time of the fort’s construction – Lieutenant-General The 2nd Earl Cornwallis – who had been involved in the American War of Independence.
Image credit: New Straits Times
As the first structure was a simple star-shaped stockade built with nibong palm trunks, the fort was unable to withstand Malaysia’s harsh tropical climate – let alone defend the region against possible attacks of the French warships.
Despite numerous attempts to repair and reinforce Fort Cornwallis – including doubling and trebling the stockade size, mounting cannons seaward, and refortifying the structure – it was still nothing more than a dilapidating stockade.
Fearing the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars, Light took matters into his own hands and rebuilt Fort Cornwallis entirely into a sturdier stone structure, at a cost of about 67,000 Spanish dollars.
It took a decade for Fort Cornwallis to be transformed into the monument it is now. In the fort’s early days, a moat crossed by drawbridges surrounded the structure. But that was filled with soil in the 1920s due to a malaria outbreak in the area.
Image credit: New Straits Times
Though the fort was originally intended to be a military base, it functioned more as an administrative site. It once housed the Supreme Court of Penang in 1808, and was reputedly a base for the Sikh and European police force after that.
Fun fact: not a single battle ever broke out at the fort, nor did it ever have to fire a gun in its own defence.
Other historical structures to see at Fort Cornwallis
Early archaeological surveys, old photographs and historical records of Fort Cornwallis show various buildings and structures within the site. Many of these are still standing today.
One of the main highlights of the monumental site are the old mounted cannons that decorate the outer ramparts of the fort.
Towards the end of 1809, stone battery cannons that extended out over the Northwest bastion of the fort were constructed on site. The addition of these pounder cannons, along with the wide moat, gave artillery cover to the harbour and made George Town one of the best defended ports in the Far East.
The largest and the most well-known cannon is the Seri Rambai, a 17th-century Dutch artillery weapon that was originally presented to the Sultan of Johor.
According to old folktales, this is the largest bronze cannon in Malaysia and was believed to possess a magical power. It is said that women who placed flowers on the barrel of the cannon would see improved fertility.
A skeletal lighthouse of 70-feet high – named Penang Harbour Lighthouse – stands erect on the Northeastern point of the fortification. Built in 1882, it is the second oldest lighthouse in Malaysia and is pretty unique in how it resembles a ship mast.
Fun fact: this lighthouse is the only one in Peninsular Malaysia that does not serve any navigational purpose.
Right next to the lighthouse is a tall timber flagstaff with a revolving light half way up. This was once used to communicate with another flagstaff on the top of Penang Hill.
Constructed in 1814, the gunpowder storeroom on the grounds was used to house approximately 600 barrels of gunpowder and other explosive materials. This main room was supplemented by small magazines on the ramparts.
Its pillbox shape and thick walls were designed to minimise damage in the event of an explosion.
Situated in a corner of the bastion, the old chapel of Fort Cornwallis is a colonial gem built in 1799 for Christian worship and religious purposes. It was also the chapel where the widow of Francis Light, Martina Rozells, is said to have married her second husband, John Timmers.
Today, this chapel has the honour of being the first and the oldest peak-roofed colonial era structure that remains standing in Malaysia.
Along one side of the grassy field, and right next to the chapel, are barracks that were used to store armaments, more gunpowder, and gun carriages.
Several of them once operated as offices that housed artillery regiments and officers, while others were used as kitchens, toilets and guardhouses. Some were even used as cells to hold military prisoners.
It was close to the 20th century when a large drill hall and modern amphitheatre occupied part of the centre of the fort to promote cultural activities.
The famous bronze statue of Francis Light – sculpted by F.J. Wilcoxson and modelled after Lights’ son – was commissioned from Britain and erected on a high plinth within the grounds of the fort. It was unveiled in 1936 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of George Town’s founding.
Fun fact: the original statue is said to have a sword, but it disappeared during the Japanese occupation of Penang in World War II.
When you’re done touring the grounds of Fort Cornwallis under the blazing sun, you can stop by eateries set up on the site. The Kota Dine & Coffee restaurant will fill you up with good local dishes, while a cafe truck here called Breakfast In The Fort will satisfy you with a delightful breakfast and coffee in a historic setting.
Fort Cornwallis in Penang
Like something out of a mediaeval world, Fort Cornwallis is an awe-inspiring architectural treasure steeped in history. A momentous relic that is of strategic importance for both Penang and Malaysia, the fort offers history buffs and tourists alike a vivid snapshot of Penang’s history.
Hence, it is important to preserve this historic gem that has stood the test of time and remains as a remarkable memento of our nation’s past.
Entrance fee: RM10/pax for Malaysians, RM20/pax for foreigners
Address: Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah, 10200 George Town, Penang
Opening hours: 9am-10pm, Daily
Contact: 04-263 9855 | Fort Cornwallis Facebook
Read more interesting features of places here:
- 10 unique Chinese temples in Malaysia
- Emperor Villa, hiking trail that leads to a traditional Chinese villa in Penang
- Pinang Peranakan Mansion, house museum with antiques in Penang
Photography by Jia-Ju.
Cover image adapted from: The Smart Local Malaysia