Despite the presence of a stone fortress in St. Augustine, it was not enough.
The first test of the Castillo was in 1702, when James Moore, Governor of the British Carolina colony, attacked St. Augustine. The fort — with the population huddled inside — withstood the attack. But the town was burned to the ground. Realizing more protection was needed, the Spanish governor soon began building a series of four defensive walls around the town.
Archaeologists have found and studied several of the town walls. They were between three and 10 feet tall, made of earth, palm logs, and sod — topped with Spanish bayonet plants. There are also projections, called redoubts, along the walls for soldiers, and by 1719, St. Augustine became the only walled Spanish town in North America.
The city gate in the north wall, which was later rebuilt in stone, still stands today.
The stone fort and town walls in St. Augustine are reminders of the British rivalry that once threatened the city.
Unearthing Florida is a project of WUWF Public Media, the Florida Public Archaeology Network(FPAN), and its founder, Dr. Judith Bense, since 1998. FPAN's Michael Thomin is a contributor to the program. WUWF's Sandra Averhart is the executive producer.
