Traces of British Colonial Presence on Bengkulu Soil

Last updated: Sep 6th 2018

Bencoolen (now Bengkulu) was one of British colonies in Sumatra. The colonial history of Bengkulu covers the history of European settlements from the start of colonization of Bengkulu in 18th century until Bengkulu integration into Indonesia in 1945. Several British colonial era buildings remain in Bengkulu that will give you greater insight into the former British colonial presence in Bengkulu:

The Fort Marlborough - Breathtaking 18th Century Military Fort

Fort Marlborough is the oldest British surviving building in Bengkulu and now a museum. Located on the shore of Tapak Paderi beach in the city of Bengkulu - Indonesia, the Fort Marlborough is an impressive and well-maintained piece of the colonial history of Bengkulu. This star-shaped fort is definitely worth a visit if you are in Bengkulu.

The Fort Marlborough main gate

The construction of the Fort Marlborough began in 1714 after the abandonment of the Fort York. The fort's construction was conducted under the administration of the Governor of British Bencoolen Joseph Collet. Under British control the fort was used as an EIC trading post and a military base to protect British interests on the West Coast of Sumatra. From 1714 to 1945, possession of the fort had changed several times, amongst four different governments: the Kingdom of Great Britain (1714 – 1824), the Kingdom of France (1760), the Kingdom of the Netherlands (1824 – 1942), the Empire of Japan (1942 – 1945), and the Republic of Indonesia (1945 – present). After hundreds of years of continuous military possession, the fort was deactivated in the late 1980s.

Now, the fort serves as a tourist attraction, museum, and research center. The fort is open daily from 8 a.m - 6 p.m, visitor admission is Rp. 5,000 (about US$ 0.33) for adults and Rp 3,000 (about US$ 0.20) for children (Sep 2018). Click here for more information and photos of the Fort Marlborough!. Or click here to show you exact location of the fort on Google Maps!

The Thomas Parr Monument - In Memory of an Assassinated British Bencoolen Governor

The Thomas Parr monument

The city of Bengkulu has a number of British reminders, including the Thomas Parr Monument which locally known as Tugu Thomas Parr or Tugu Bulek (the Round Monument). The monument was established in 1808 by the British government as for the remembrance of the death of an assassinated British governor in Bencoolen, Thomas Parr. 

Thomas Parr was the son of Dublin-born Lieut-Col. John Parr, 20th regiment of foot, and Sarah Walmesley. The Parr administration of Bencoolen (now known as Bengkulu) was only from April 1805 to December 1807. He was assassinated at night by local fighters on December 23rd, 1807 in his home at Mount Felix. The assassination of Governor Parr was a testament to their refusal to accept colonialism and their defense of their land and rights. Governor Parr was buried within the Fort Marlborough at the Ravelin.

This octagon-shaped monument stands on an area of area of 70 square meters (753 sq ft) and it has a height of 13.5 meters (44 feet). The monument is composed of three arched doorways, a doom and six Corinthian columns in reference to ancient Rome and Greece. The monument is very close from Fort Marlborough, no entrance fee.

Location: at the meeting point of Jl. Ahmad Yani and Jl. Mazairi, in front of the Pasar Baru Koto - Bengkulu. Jl. is abbreviation of jalan which in English means street or road, sometimes written as Jln. Click here to find the location of the monument on Google Maps!


The British Cemetery - The Colonists Endured Hard Times and Great Strife in Bencoolen
The graves in the British Cemetery (Indonesian: Makam Inggris) in Bengkulu are pieces of history that will tell us about bitter conditions and experiences linked to the British East India Company and deaths of hundreds of British Bencoolen inhabitants who were affected by the Bencoolen resistance movements and fatal diseases during the British colonial rule in Bencoolen (now known as Bengkulu).

The remains of British residents who once lived and died in Bencoolen

This site, less than a kilometer east of the Fort Marlborough, was selected by British colonial government as a cemetery location not only to host the graves of British soldiers who fell in the vicinity of various Bencoolen battlefields but also to host the graves of British Bencoolen inhabitants who died from malaria and diarrheal diseases. During the 17th and 18th century, several diseases like malaria, cholera and dysentery were major problems in Bengkulu. These diseases killed more British Bencoolen inhabitants in the 18th century than those that died on the battlefields in Bencoolen.

Although hundreds of British inhabitants died and might be buried in the British cemetery, only a total of 53 graves (the BP3 Jambi report records 128 graves) with some of them unmarked can be found in the British cemetery to this day. When the Dutch controlled Bengkulu, after the Anglo-Dutch treaty signed in 1824, the British cemetery was reused by the Dutch colonial rule as a Dutch burial site. Click here for more detailed information and photos of the British Cemetery.

Location: the cemetery is located at Jl. Veteran or Jl. Rejamat, kelurahan Jitra, kecamatan Teluk Segara Bengkulu. Right behind the gereja HKBP (the Batak Protestant church), across from the Bencoolen coffee house. Show the British Cemetery location on Google Maps.

The Robert Hamilton Monument - Telling Stories of a Time Long Gone

About 2 km from the Fort Marlborough, there is another architectural reminder of former British colonial, the Robert Hamilton Monument (Indonesian: Tugu Robert Hamilton).  This monument is one of the oldest surviving buildings built by British colonial government in Bengkulu. The monument was erected to honor and in memory of Captain Robert Hamilton who died on the 15th of December 1793.

In memory of Captain Robert Hamilton

There is an inscription on the monument wall that says,

"Underneath this obelisk are interred 

the Remains of 

CAPTAIN ROBERT HAMILTON 

who died on the 15th of Dec' 1793 

at the Age of 38 Years 

in the Command of the Troops 

and 

Second Member of the Government"

Location: at the meeting point of Jl. M. Hasan and Jl. Iskandar, near the Pasar Tebek cemetery, Pasar Melintang – Bengkulu. Jl. is abbreviation of jalan which in English means street or road, sometimes written as Jln. Show the monument location on Google Maps.

 This article to be continued...

Photos by Adriansyah Putera and Peter Kimball

Benteng Marlborough Yang Impresif

Gerbang utama benteng Marlborough

For English version click here

Terakhir kali di-update: 23 Juli 2023

Saat berkunjung ke kota Bengkulu untuk liburan atau bisnis, ada banyak obyek wisata yang dapat dikunjungi mulai dari pantai-pantainya yang  indah hingga situs-situs bersejarah yang saling berdekatan dan mudah untuk dicapai. Di sudut pelabuhan tua, benteng Marlborough dapat menjadi suatu media bagi para pengunjung untuk lebih mengenal Bengkulu.

Berada di atas sebuah bukit yang berhadapan dengan Samudra Hindia benteng Marlborough merupakan tempat yang menarik untuk dikunjungi. Benteng yang berbentuk bintang ini berdiri sebagai peninggalan penjajahan Inggris. Berawal dari tahun 1714 dengan dinding-dindingnya yang berdiri kokoh hingga sekarang, benteng Marlborough  merupakan sebuah penggalan sejarah yang impresif dan terawat dengan baik, benteng ini memiliki reputasi sebagai benteng terkuat yang dibangun oleh Inggris di timur setelah benteng George di Madras (sebuah kota di India Selatan).  Benteng ini memiliki struktur datar dengan 4 bastion berbentuk segitiga yang dirancang untuk saling melindungi antar bastion, dan dikelilingi oleh parit pertahanan.  Gerbang masuk utama menuju benteng dilindungi oleh sebuah ravelin (bangunan pertahanan berbentuk segitiga yang berada di depan kastil atau benteng). 

Selain terdapat beberapa batu nisan Inggris di bagian ravelin yang menceritakan kisah pilu, benteng ini juga menyimpan beberapa ukiran tua, foto-foto tua, salinan korespondensi resmi  dari masa pemerintahan Inggris di Bengkulu (1714 -1824). Di bagian dalam benteng, Anda dapat melihat beberapa meriam antik VOC Belanda abad ke-18, sebuah terowongan yang terhubung dengan bagian luar benteng dan juga ruang tahanan di mana Belanda pernah beberapa saat memenjarakan  Soekarno (yang di kemudian hari menjadi presiden pertama Indonesia) semasa pengasingan beliau di tahun 1939 – 1942.

Benteng Marlborough - sebuah peninggalan kolonial Inggris

Benteng Marlborough buka setiap hari dari jam 8 pagi hingga jam 6 sore, biaya masuk bagi pangunjung dewasa Rp. 5.000 dan anak-anak Rp. 3.000 per orang (Juli 2023). Benteng Marlborough mudah untuk dicapai, benteng ini terletak di Jl. Ahmad Yani, tepatnya di sebelah kiri pasar Baru Koto dan berhadapan dengan pantai Tapak Paderi. Dari kawasan hotel pantai Panjang, para penganjung bisa naik angkot kuning jurusan Kampung dengan ongkos Rp. 4.000 per orang, atau sekitar 30 menit  jalan kaki untuk sampai ke benteng.

Berwisata ke benteng Marlborough juga memungkinkan para pengunjung untuk menikmati obyek-obyek wisata menarik lainnya yang berada di sekitar kawasan benteng, seperti pantai Tapak Paderi, monumen Thomas Parr, bangunan tua Kampung Cina, dan bangunan residen Inggris yang sekarang digunakan sebagai rumah dinas gubernur Bengkulu. Benteng Marlborough saat ini dianggap sebagai obyek wisata sejarah utama yang menarik wisatawan untuk berkunjung ke kota Bengkulu. Note: beberapa bagian benteng dapat mempengaruhi tingkat aksesibilitas bagi para penyadang cacat.

For English version click here

Sejarah Singkat Benteng Marlborough

Sejarah Awal (1685 – 1714)

Permintaan pasar akan rempah-rempah yang meningkat di Eropa membuat East India Company (EIC) memperluas kegiatannya di timur dan sebagai hasilnya sebuah pos perdagangan “The Honourable East India Company’s Garrison on the West Coast of Sumatra” didirikan di Bencoolen (sekarang Bengkulu) pada tahun 1685 untuk mendapatkan lada. Pada tahun yang sama, perusahaan EIC membangun sebuah benteng kecil yang dinamakan Fort York dan perusahaan ini juga menyediakan kekuatan militer kecil untuk melindungi properti dan pegawai sipil perusahaan. Karena tingginya angka kematian di benteng York yang disebabkan oleh penyakit seperti kolera, malaria dan disentri, serta semakin memburuknya kondisi benteng York, maka pada tanggal 27 Februari 1712, Joseph Collet yang menjabat sebagai Gubernur British Bencoolen dari tahun 1712 hingga 1717, yang juga menjabat sebagai pimpinan the Honourable East India Company’s Garrison on the West Coast of Sumatra, menulis surat kepada Dewan Direksi EIC di London untuk memperoleh izin mendirikan sebuah benteng baru dan merelokasi pos perdagangan. Joseph Collet diizinkan mendirikan sebuah benteng baru di tahun 1714, dan pada tahun yang sama Fort York ditinggalkan. Setelah Fort York ditinggalkan, benteng ini hancur menjadi puing-puing dan tidak bisa bertahan hingga sekarang.

Pembangunan Benteng Marlborough (1714 -1719)

Salah satu meriam VOC Belanda di benteng Marlborough

Di tahun 1714, setelah pengosongan Fort York, pos perdagangan EIC direlokasi dari Fort York ke Carrang (sekitar 2 mil atau 3,2 km dari Fort York) yang sekarang merupakan sebuah kawasan antara Kebun Keling dan Kampung Cina. Di bawah pemerintahan Joseph Collet, EIC mulai membangun sebuah benteng di sebuah situs militer baru yang strategis. Joseph Collet memberi nama benteng baru tersebut Fort Marlborough untuk menghormati John Churchill, duke pertama Marlborough, salah satu jenderal terbesar Inggris, yang memimpin Inggris dan tentara sekutu dalam memperoleh kemenangan penting atas Louis XIV dari Perancis, terutama di Blenheim (1704), Ramillies (1706), dan Oudenaarde (1708).

   

Konstruksi benteng yang berbentuk bintang dengan bastion berbentuk segitiga di setiap sudutnya dimulai tahun 1714 dengan menggunakan tenaga narapidana, penduduk lokal dan tenaga kerja India. Pekerjaan konstruksi di bulan April 1715 sebagian besar terdiri dari konstruksi awal pada dinding-dinding pertahanan yang menggunakan tanah dan batu bata tebal, parit kering, dan platform meriam di atas bastion. Benteng ini memiliki struktur datar terdiri dari empat bastion berbentuk segitiga yang dirancang untuk saling melindungi satu sama lain, yang mana dua dari bastion tersebut mengarah ke Samudra Hindia di sebelah barat, untuk memberikan perlindungan pada area pendaratan di luar benteng. Pembangunan Fort Marlborough yang juga dikenal sebagai Bencoolen garrison sebagian besar selesai dikerjakan di tahun 1719 dan kemudian benteng ini menjadi pusat kekuasaan dan pengaruh Inggris di berbagai bagian pantai barat Sumatera hingga tahun 1824.

Serangan-serangan Terhadap Benteng Marlborough

Pada tahun 1719, benteng Marlborough ditinggalkan oleh warga Inggris karena banyak terjadinya konflik dengan penduduk lokal di pos-pos EIC dan sebuah serangan terhadap benteng Marlborough, konflik juga memaksa penduduk Inggris untuk melarikan diri ke Madras - India. Tidak lama setelah benteng ditinggalkan, penduduk Inggris kembali lagi ke Bencoolen pada tahun 1724 setelah diadakan sebuah perjanjian dengan para penguasa lokal.

Kiri ke kanan: makam Kapt. Rebert Hamilton,
Gubernur Jendral British Bencoolen Thomas Parr,
dan sekretaris Parr - Charles Muray  

Pada tahun 1760, saat Perang Tujuh Tahun, pasukan ekspedisi Perancis di bawah komando Charles Hector, comte d'Estaing merebut benteng Marlborough dan menggunakan benteng ini sebagai basis untuk menyerang dan menundukkan pemukiman-pemukiman Inggris lainnya di pantai barat Sumatera. Sebelum kembali ke Mascarenes Charles Hector menyerahkan kembali benteng Marlborough kepada Inggris dengan imbalan uang tebusan dari pihak Inggris. Sebuah serangan langsung yang dilakukan oleh penduduk lokal terhadap benteng Marlborough terjadi lagi pada tahun 1793, tapi pasukan pertahanan Inggris mampu menghalau serangan tersebut. 

Sebagai konsekuensi dari Anglo-Dutch Treaty of London, yang ditandatangi pada 17 Maret 1824, pemukiman Inggris di wilayah pantai barat Sumatera diserahkan kepada pihak Belanda yang mengakibatkan terjadinya penarikan pasukan East India Company dari benteng Marlborough dan Bencoolen untuk selamanya di tahun 1825. Penyerahan Bencoolen (sekarang Bengkulu) kepada kekuasaan kerajaan Belanda di bawah Perjanjian Anglo-Dutch menandai akhir dari 140 tahun kekuasaan Inggris di Bengkulu.

Benteng Marlborough setelah Inggris Keluar dari Sumatera

Setelah pasukan East India Company pergi, Belanda mulai mengambil kendali benteng Marlborough di tahun 1825. Belanda memperkuat benteng Marlborough dengan 60 serdadu pada tahun 1837. Belanda terus menduduki benteng hingga tahun 1942. Setelah jatuhnya Sumatera ke tangan Jepang, benteng ini kemudian diduduki tentara Jepang dari tahun 1942 hingga 1945. Setelah Jepang menyerah pada tahun 1945 benteng ini kembali diduduki sebentar oleh Belanda, dan kemudian benteng ini digunakan oleh tentara dan polisi Indonesia hingga akhir tahun 1970. Benteng Marlborough direnovasi di akhir tahun 1980-an dan kemudian dibuka untuk umum. Sekarang, benteng Marlborough berfungsi sebagai obyek wisata, museum, dan pusat penelitian.

Glosarium

Bastion adalah sebuah struktur dari benteng atau bangunan pertahanan yang dibangun di sudut garis dinding, yang memungkinkan tembakan pertahanan dapat dilakukan dari beberapa arah.

The East India Company (EIC), dikenal juga dengan the Honourable East India Company (HEIC) atau the British East India Company  merupakan perusahaan persekutuan saham Inggris, dibentuk pada 31 Desember 1600 untuk mengejar perdagangan dengan Hindia Timur (atau sekarang Asia Tenggara Maritim) namun pada akhirnya sebagian besar EIC berdagang dengan subkontinen India dan Qing Cina.

Ravelin adalah fortifikasi segitiga atau bagian luar benteng yang terpisah, terletak di depan interior benteng (dinding tirai dan bestion). Awalnya disebut demi-lune, ravelin ditempatkan di luar sebuah kastil dan di seberang tirai fortifikasi.

Referensi:

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Marlborough

http://wftw.nl/bencoolen/bencoolen.html

Jika Anda ingin menggunakan foto-foto yang ada di blog ini silahkan email ke kurt_reyhans@yahoo.com

For English version click here

Foto-foto benteng Marlborough

Barak militer Inggris abad ke-18 di benteng Marlborough

Meriam pertahanan ini dirancang untuk bisa menembak dari celah dinding benteng
terhadap kapal-kapal yang mendekati benteng

Bagian sudut kiri bastion dan ravelin benteng Marlborough

Meriam Belanda buatan tahun 1838 di salah satu bastion 

Pemandangan saat sunset dari tangga bastion

Bastion benteng Marlborough yang berbentuk mata anak panah

Dibangun di atas bukit yang berhadapan langsung dengan Samudra Hindia

Benteng Marlborough, objek wisata sejarah utama
yang mampu menarik wisatawan untuk berkunjung ke Bengkulu

Batu nisan Deputi Gubernur Richard Watts Esq. (meninggal 17 Desember 1705)
yang berada di bagian ravelin

Batu nisan Deputi Gubernur II George Shaw (meninggal 25 April 1704)
yang berada di bagian ravelin

Benteng Marlborough - Berjalan Melewati Waktu

Foto: Adriansyah Putera & Peter Kimball
Kontak: kurt_reyhans@yahoo.com

Looking Back to the Past - the British Colonial Cemetery

The remains of British residents who once lived and died in Bencoolen

Last updated: June 5th 2018

By Adriansyah Putera

The Colonists Endured Hard Times and Great Strife in Bencoolen
The graves in the British Cemetery (Indonesian: Makam Inggris) in Bengkulu are pieces of history that will tell us about bitter conditions and experiences linked to the British East India Company and deaths of hundreds of British Bencoolen inhabitants who were affected by the Bencoolen resistance movements and fatal diseases during the British colonial rule in Bencoolen (now known as Bengkulu). This historic cemetery is known by various names, including Makam Inggris, Kuburan Belanda, the British Bencoolen Cemetery, the European Cemetery, and the British Cemetery at Bencoolen.

This site, less than a kilometer east of the Fort Marlborough, was selected by British colonial government as a cemetery location not only to host the graves of British soldiers who fell in the vicinity of various Bencoolen battlefields but also to host the graves of British Bencoolen inhabitants who died from malaria and diarrheal diseases. During the 17th and 18th century, several diseases like malaria, cholera and dysentery were major problems in Bengkulu. These diseases killed more British Bencoolen inhabitants in the 18th century than those that died on the battlefields in Bencoolen.  

During the British colonial period (1685 – 1824), there were 709 recorded deaths of British Bencoolen inhabitants in Bencoolen – including four of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles’ children. Raffles, best known for his founding of Singapore and a Governor General of Bencoolen (administration 1817 – 1822), was devastated for losing four of his five children by his second marriage with Sophia Hull. It is so sad that Raffles’ children tragically died before their fifth birthday due to diarrheal diseases during an epidemic. It is strongly believe that four Raffles’ children were buried at this site, but I can not confirm their graves due to a number of inscriptions are damage or lost. Probably, their graves are parts of the sunken graves or unmarked graves.

The remains of Capt. Thomas Tapson who died on July 1816

Although hundreds of British inhabitants died and might be buried in the British cemetery, only a total of 53 graves (but the BP3 Jambi report records 128 graves) with some of them unmarked can be found in the British cemetery to this day. From a total of 53 surviving graves, there are 15 graves with large gravestones and 4 graves in one gravestone. The earliest surviving colonial British gravestone in the British cemetery commemorates Stokeham Donston Esquire, a British man who died in 1775, and the last British surviving gravestone dates to 1858 which marks the final resting place of Frances Maclane.

A Carved “Five-Petal Flower” on the Gravestones
When the Dutch controlled Bengkulu, after the Anglo-Dutch treaty signed in 1824, the British cemetery was reused by the Dutch colonial rule as a Dutch burial site. The last colonial Dutch surviving gravestone is dated 1940. Unlike Dutch colonial graves, in this site, British colonial graves usually have a carved “five-petal flower” on the gravestones. What does that five-petal flower symbolize? I did a research and found out the meaning of that carved floral symbol. A five-petal flower symbolizes the “Tudor rose”, the symbol of the united houses of Lancaster and York, which is also the traditional floral heraldic symbol of England. A Tudor rose on a headstone may indicate that the person it commemorates was of English descent. This cultural symbol can be very helpful for visitors to identify the difference between the British and the Dutch colonial gravestones in the cemetery.

Besides British and Dutch graves, this cemetery also hosts a Japanese grave. This lone Japanese grave is located at the far right of the cemetery main gate where a Japanese name Tanakara was buried.

The Sad Condition of the British Cemetery - A Call for Concerns
In contrast to the Fort Marlborough which is always in excellent condition, this British colonial cemetery seems to have been allowed to fall into a sad condition. The cemetery has been sadly neglected for many years since the last major restoration and preservation project that was conducted in 1988 to 1991 by the Bengkulu provincial government which funded by British companies based in Jakarta.

Some unmarked graves

Many visitors in Bengkulu have complained and remarked at the sad condition of the British cemetery. Sunken, tilting gravestones, damaged inscriptions hold almost all the remains of British residents who once lived and died in Bencoolen.

An English tourist James Richardson said, “Don’t be surprised when you visit this site and see laundry covering and choking the headstones and leaving you with the impression you're in something of a large open laundry, not a cemetery. In the late afternoon, the cemetery turns into a fun playground for children playing soccer.”

“It is hoped that some action will soon be taken by the authorities to prevent the British cemetery from becoming more of a wreck than it is. I give this cemetery a 5-star for the historical value and probably a 2-star for the condition of it,” said Lisa Ross, an Australian taphophile. “Why the city has left the cemetery continue in such a condition?” Miss Ross asked.

It is sad, but true. The cemetery is still under threat. The relevant departments and the locals need to keep the cemetery safe from dangerous conditions and criminal violations, so Bengkulu's past can be maintained. I hope this writing can help more people understand, interpret and appreciate this British colonial cemetery as important cultural and historical resources.

Location: The cemetery is located at *Jl. Veteran or Jl. Rejamat, kelurahan Jitra, kecamatan Teluk Segara Bengkulu. Right behind the gereja HKBP (the Batak Protestant church), across from the Bencoolen cafe. Click here to find the British Cemetery location on Google Maps 

Let’s help each other!
Let’s make this post available in various languages! Translating this post can help more readers in your language to understand this post. If you would like to translate this post into your language or if you need help to translate some of your posts into Indonesian, please send me an email to kurt_reyhans@yahoo.com

More photos:

These graves are testament to the colonialists’ vulnerability to malaria.

The colonial graves will surely take you back to the memories of the British rule days

Photos by: Peter Kimball, Adriansyah Putera and Edward Sullivan

A Piece of Soekarno History in Bengkulu

Soekarno's Exiled Residence

     Soekarno, born as Kusno Sosrodihardjo (6 June 1901 – 21 June 1970). Soekarno or was also known as “Bung Karno”, was a prominent leader of Indonesian’s nationalist movement during the Dutch colonial period, who later became the first president of the Republic of Indonesia (from 1945 to 1967). He was exiled to Bengkulu by the Dutch during the struggles against Dutch colonial rule from February 1938 until released by the invading Japanese forces in 1942. In Bengkulu, he met his wife, Fatmawati, who gave him several children. The most famous being the first female President of Indonesia, Megawati Soekarno Puteri. The house in which he lived in during his imprisonment is well maintained in its original form as a museum. The house is quite spacious and has a wide yard, located on Jalan Soekarno Hatta Anggut Atas Bengkulu about 1 kilometer from downtown, or 2 kilometers from Fort Marlborough. Exhibits include Soekarno’s properties such as a wardrobe, two beds, some black and white photos of Soekarno, reverence books and drama costumes, even Soekarno’s trusty bicycle, etc. A visit to this house of exile, offers visitors a better glimpse into Soekarno's life. 

Entrance fee Rp. 2,500; open daily 8 a.m – 6 p.m

Jamik mosque

   During his imprisonment by the Dutch in Bengkulu, Soekarno who was an architect, redesigned and renovated an old simple mosque (which established in 18th century) who later known as Masjid Jamik (Jamik Mosque). The mosque is frequently associated with the figure of Soekarno. The best time to visit the mosque is during Friday afternoon prayers, when the entire building is filled with people. The people who pray at the mosque are easygoing and hospitable to visitors. The Jamik mosque is located on Jl. Sudirman, nearby Suprapto shopping center between Splash hotel and Samudera Dwinka hotel, and it is a noted landmark in the city now. No entrance fee. 

* Jl. is abbreviation of jalan which in English means street or road, sometimes written as jln

* Location: Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia

The Impressive Fort Marlborough

Fort Marlborough main gate at sunset

Last updated: July 23rd, 2023

When visiting Bengkulu for a vacation or business there are many attractions to visit from its good beaches to nearby interesting historical sites. On the edge of the old port, the impressive fort Marlborough is a wonderful introduction for visitors to the city. 

    Set on a hill overlooking the Indian Ocean fort Marlborough is an interesting place to visit. This impressive star-shaped fort stands as a reminder of the British occupation. Dating from 1714 and approached through massive walls, it is an impressive and well-maintained piece of history, reputedly the strongest fort constructed by the British in the east after George Fort in Madras (city in southeastern India). The fort is a flat structure composed of 4 triangular shaped bastions designed to cover each other, and is surrounded by a dry moat. The main entrance to the fort is protected by a ravelin (a triangular fortification located in front of a fortress or a castle).

Untuk versi Bahasa Indonesia klik di sini

    Besides the old British gravestones at the ravelin which make poignant reading, the fort also houses a few interesting old engravings, old pictures, and copies of official correspondence from the time of British rule in Bengkulu (1714-1824). Inside the fort, you can see some 18th century antique Dutch VOC cannons, a tunnel connected to the outside and also a cell where the Dutch incarcerated Soekarno (later became Indonesia's first president) during his internal exile of 1939–1942.

Fort Marlborough - a British Colonialist Heritage

  The fort is open daily from 8 a.m to 6 p.m, visitor admission is Rp. 5,000 (about US$ 0.33) for adults and Rp 3,000 (about US$ 0.20) for children (July 2023). It is easy to reach the fort, which is located on Jalan. A. Yani, to the left of Baru Koto market and opposite Tapak Paderi beach. From the hotel area of Panjang beach, visitors can take a yellow angkot (public city transport) that travels to Kampung route for Rp 4,000 per person, or it takes about a 30-minute walk to the fort.

    A visit to Fort Marlborough allows visitors to enjoy other enchanting tourist spots in the vicinity, such as the Tapak Paderi beach, the Thomas Parr monument, and the old building of Chinatown, and the British resident's building which is now used as the residence of the Bengkulu governor. The fort is now considered as a major historical attraction to draw tourists to Bengkulu. Note: some parts of the fort can affect the level of accessibility of those with disabilities.

The History of Fort Marlborough 

Early History (1685 – 1714)

   The growing market for spices in Europe led East India Company (EIC) to expand its activities in the east and as a result a trading post “The Honourable East India Company’s Garrison on the West Coast of Sumatra” was established at Bencoolen (currently Bengkulu) in 1685 for the acquisition of pepper. In the same year, the company built a small fort called Fort York and also provided a small military force to protect the company's property and civil servants. Due to mortality at the fort itself was very high from diseases like cholera, malaria and dysentery, and the fort condition getting worse, on February 27th 1712, Joseph Collet who served as the Governor of British Bencoolen from 1712 to 1717, and also served as the chief of the Honourable East India Company’s Garrison on the West Coast of Sumatra, wrote a letter to the Board of Directors of EIC in London to obtain a permit to build a new fort and to relocate the trading post. He was permitted to build a new fort in 1714, and in the same year Fort York was abandoned. After the abandonment of Fort York, the fort fell into ruin and could not survive into the present day.

The Construction of Fort Marlborough (1714 -1719)    

One of well preserved cannons of the Dutch VOC at the fort

    In 1714, following the abandonment of Fort York, the EIC trading post was relocated from Fort York to Carrang (about 2 miles or 3.2 km from Fort York) what is today the area between Kebun Keling and Kampung Cina. Under Joseph Collet rule, the company started to construct a fortification at a new militarily important site. Joseph Collet named the new fortification Fort Marlborough in honor of John Churchill, 1st duke of Marlborough, one of England’s greatest generals, who led British and allied armies to important victories over Louis XIV of France, notably at Blenheim (1704), Ramillies (1706), and Oudenaarde (1708).

    The construction on the star-shaped fort with a triangular-shaped bastion on each corner began in 1714 using convict, local and Indian labor. The work in April 1715 consisted primarily of beginning construction on the defensive walls with earth ramparts and thick bricks, a dry ditch, and with gun platforms on the bastions. The fort was a flat structure composed of four triangular shaped bastions designed to cover each other, which two of them overlooked the Indian Ocean to the west, providing cover for the landing area outside the fort. Fort Marlborough which also known as the Bencoolen garrison was largely complete by 1719 and then became the seat of the British power and influence in parts of the west coast of Sumatra until 1824.

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The Attacks on Fort Marlborough
    In 1719, Fort Marlborough was abandoned by the British inhabitants due to the numerous conflicts with local inhabitants at the outstations and an attack on the fort, the conflicts also forced the British inhabitants to flee to Madras – India. After brief abandonment, the British inhabitants returned to Bencoolen in 1724 after an agreement was held with the local rulers. 

Left to right: The grave of Capt. Robert Hamilton,
Governor General of British Bencoolen Thomas Parr,
and Parr's secretary Charles Murray

    In 1760, during the Seven Years' War, a French expeditionary force under the command of Charles Hector, comte d'Estaing captured the fort and used it as a base to attack and subdue other British settlements on the west coast of Sumatra. Before returning to the Mascarenes he ransomed the fort back to the British. A direct attack by the local inhabitants on the fort took place again in 1793, but the British defenders were able to repel the attack. 

    As a consequence of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of London, March 17th 1824, the British settlements on the west coast of Sumatra were handled over to the Dutch which brought about the withdrawal of the East India Company's troops from Fort Marlborough and Bencoolen for good in 1825. The transfer of Bencoolen (currently Bengkulu) to the Dutch control under the Anglo-Dutch Treaty marked the end of 140 years of British power in Bengkulu. 

Fort Marlborough after the British Withdrawal from Sumatra
   After the East India Company's troops left, the Dutch started to take control of Fort Marlborough in 1825. The Dutch garrisoned the fort with 60 troops in 1837. The Dutch continued to occupy the fort until 1942. After the fall of Sumatra to the Japanese, the fort was then occupied the Japanese army from 1942 to 1945. The following of the Japanese surrendered in 1945 the fort was again briefly occupied by the Dutch, and then the Indonesian army and police force unit used the fort until in the late 1970s. The fort was restored in the late 1980s and later opened for public. Now, the fort serves as a tourist attraction, museum, and research center.

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Glossary

Bastion is a projecting part of a fortification built at an angle to the line of a wall, so as to allow defensive fire in several directions.

The East India Company (EIC), also known as the Honourable East India Company (HEIC) or the British East India Company was an English and later British joint-stock company, which was formed on December 31st 1600 to pursue trade with the "East Indies" (or Maritime Southeast Asia in present-day terms) but ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and Qing China.

Ravelin is a triangular fortification or detached outwork, located in front of the innerworks of a fortress (the curtain walls and bastions). Originally called a demi-lune, after the lunette, the ravelin is placed outside a castle and opposite a fortification curtain.

References: 
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Marlborough
http://wftw.nl/bencoolen/bencoolen.html

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Related articles:
Looking Back to the Past - the British Colonial Cemetery 
Traces of British Colonial Presence on Bengkulu Soil
Bengkulu - A Small Relaxed City

More photos from the fort Marlborough

This defensive cannon was originally designed to fire over
fort walls at ships as they approached

18th Century British Military Barracks at the Fort Marlborough

Set on a hill overlooking the Indian Ocean

Dark clouds fill the sky over the fort Marlborough

A Dutch VOC cannon made in 1838 on one of the bastions

The gravestone of Deputy Governor Richard Watts Esg. (died on Dec 17th 1705)
located at the ravelin

Fort Marlborough, a major historical attraction to draw tourists to Bengkulu.

Arrow headed bastion of the Fort Marlborough

Sunset view from the bastion step

Fort Marlborough - Walking Through Time

The gravestone of Second Deputy Governor George Shaw (died on April 25th 1705)
located at the ravelin

Photos by Adriansyah Putera and Peter Kimball
Contact: kurt_reyhans@yahoo.com