Fort Grey Shipwreck Museum

Fort Grey Shipwreck Museum sits on Guernsey’s west coast at Rocquaine Bay, inside the round Martello tower known locally as the Cup and Saucer. Built in 1804 to defend the bay, it now tells the stories of vessels lost along this hazardous stretch of coast. Look through the displays of objects recovered from wrecks and read about incidents spanning from HMS Sprightly in 1777 to the Vermontborg in 2003. Outside, the fort’s position on a rocky outcrop gives you views across Rocquaine Bay and towards Hanois Lighthouse.

A coastal fort turned museum

Fort Grey stands on a rocky outcrop at Rocquaine Bay on Guernsey’s west coast. Built in 1804 as a Martello tower, it was intended to defend the bay. Its familiar local nickname, the Cup and Saucer, comes from its rounded shape and position on the rocks.

The fort now houses the Shipwreck Museum, where objects recovered from wrecks around Guernsey accompany accounts of the disasters. The coast’s rocks presented serious hazards to passing vessels, and the displays connect those losses to the island’s maritime history.

Shipwreck stories and sea views

The museum covers wrecks spanning more than two centuries. Its stories include HMS Sprightly, lost in 1777, the Orion oil rig barge, which ran aground in 1978, and the Vermontborg, temporarily stranded in 2003. Information panels explain the events, while recovered items show what divers brought back from the wrecks.

The fort’s setting is part of the visit. From outside, look across Rocquaine Bay and L’Eree Beach, then out towards Hanois Lighthouse. The structure is especially striking when viewed from the surrounding shore at low tide.