James Fort

James Fort, also known as Fort James, is a 17th-century British fort in Jamestown, Accra, in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. It was built by the Royal African Company of England in 1673 as a trading post for gold and slaves, in a coastal setting that already included the Dutch Fort Crêvecœur (1649) and the Danish Fort Christiansborg (1652). The fort was likely named after James, Duke of York, later King James II, who was then Governor of the Royal African Company; the adjacent Jamestown district takes its name from the same figure.

The fort stands beside Jamestown Lighthouse. It served as a prison from the colonial era until 2008, and Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah, was imprisoned there from 1950 to 1951. In 1979 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with other Ghanaian forts and castles. It is now a tourist site managed by the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, which describes it as being in moderately good condition.

Visitors should note that the site is currently listed as temporarily closed until further notice, owing to essential maintenance works, comprehensive safety assessments and ongoing conservation activities. The closure notice carries an effective date of 18 December 2025, with enquiries directed to 0303 944 030 or 0303 944 028. Anyone planning a visit should confirm the current status before travelling.

When open, the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board lists hours of 9:00am to 4:30pm, though it does not state days of operation. Published fees, reviewed in February 2013 and possibly outdated, range from GH¢ 0.50 for pupils through primary to JHS 3, GH¢ 1.00 for SHS students, GH¢ 2.00 for tertiary students with ID and GH¢ 5.00 for Ghanaian adults, to USD 2.00 for foreign children, USD 7.00 for foreign students with ID and USD 10.00 for adult foreigners, or the equivalent in Ghana cedis.

The fort's coordinates are approximately 5.5337, -0.2111, which mark the feature itself rather than a confirmed visitor entrance. General enquiries can be made to the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board head office on 2 Barnes Road, Adabraka, Accra, by telephone on +233-302 221633 or 221635, or by email at [email protected].