Sir Thomas Temple, in whose right he claimed the
proprietorship of Acadia, under an old grant of Oliver Cromwell."
(Parkman's Frontenac, p. 357.)
FORT ST. LOUIS
Ere one of the last vestiges of the ancien regime, Haldimand Castle,
disappears, a few details culled from reliable sources may not be
unacceptable, especially as by fire, repairs and the vicissitudes of time,
the changes are so great, as to render difficult the delineation of what
it originally formed part of in the past.
Grave misconceptions exist as to what constituted the stately residence of
our former Governors. Many imagine that the famous Chateau St. Louis,
was but one structure, whilst in reality, it was composed at one time of
three, viz: - Fort St. Louis, Chateau St. Louis and Haldimand Castle, the
present Normal School. The writer has succeeded in collecting together
nine views of the Fort and Chateau St. Louis since the days of Champlain
down to modern times. Champlain's "brass bell" is conspicuous in more than
one of the designs.
According to Father DuCreux, the first fort erected by Champlain on the
crest of the promontory, arx aedificata in promontarii cuspidine,
was not placed on the site of Dufferin Terrace, but at the south-east
point of the area, which is now occupied by the Grand Battery, north-east
of the present Parliament building and looking down on Sault-au-Matelot
street.
