Port Louis: An Archaeological and Historical Survey of the First Capital of the Falkland Islands

The settlement of Port Louis is the most important archaeological and historical site in the Falkland Islands with a unique colonial history. For eighty years, from its foundation by the French aristocrat Louis-Antoine de Bougainville in 1764 until the capital was moved by the British to Stanley in 1844, Port Louis served successively as the principal settlement of the four occupying powers, France, Spain, United Provinces of the River Plate, and Britain. The settlement was virtually abandoned in 1844, leaving extensive earthworks and structural remains from all phases of occupation often in an excellent state of preservation. This monograph presents the detailed evidence from the first archaeological survey of this important site, mapping the remains by conventional surveying techniques, undertaken largely from 1994 to 1996. In 2023, new technology using drone photography and 3D photogrammetry was used to enhance the archaeological record. The monograph sets out the historical context for the foundation and development of the colonial settlement under successive administrations, integrating the rich cartographic and documentary record in European and South American archives to interpret the physical remains. Together, they show how the remote location, the influence of topography, the difficult climate and the overriding need for defence all contributed to the layout and character of the settlement, while the geopolitical manoeuvres of the European powers fractured the continuity of this remote establishment.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Early Discoveries in the Falklands and Introduction to Port Louis The Falkland Islands The Pre-Colonial Era: A Prehistoric Human Presence? Discovery and Early Sightings 18th-Century Voyages of Exploration Introduction to the Settlement History   Chapter 2: The Archaeological Survey Origin of the Project Aims of the Project The Survey Methodology Geology and Soils The Topography of Port Louis Condition of the Site Technological Advances: Drone Mapping and Photogrammetry   Chapter 3: Natural Resources Introduction Wildlife Introduced Livestock Impact of Human Settlement   Chapter 4: Foundation and French Occupation, 1764-7 The Origin of the French Settlement Bougainville’s arrival at Port Saint-Louis The British Expeditions The Final Form of the French Settlement Le Moine’s Projected Town and Citadel The Spanish Objection The French Settlement: the archaeological survey The French Defences: the Fort (F5), Powder Magazine (F89) and Battery (F108) The Apartment House (F93, F11, F9) Turf Building (F8) The Projected Buildings The Commandant’s House (F103) and Garden (F102) Other French Buildings Trackways and Ramps (F115, F125, F96, F121) The Tannery (F118, F138, F100) The Boatyard Gardens and Plantations Garden (F84, F85) Garden on Main Headland (F110, F111) Other Gardens (F24, F148) The Tanning Process in the 18th Century   Chapter 5: The Spanish Occupation, 1767-1811 The Spanish Garrison Thomas Falkner’s Account, 1774 Food Supply Conflict with Britain 1770-71: Port Egmont Puerto Soledad: the First Decades Presidios in Spanish North America The Buildings Malaspina’s Expedition at Puerto de la Soledad The Final Years of Puerto Soledad Spanish Estancias and Other Establishments in East Falkland The Spanish Settlement 1767-1811: the archaeological survey The Spanish Governor’s House (F103) Presidio and Quartel (F109) Defensive Works: the Spanish Fort (F6) The Hospital (site of F12) Group of Official Buildings near the Jetty The Archaeological Evidence The First Spanish Chapel (F70) A Further Group of Official Buildings Spanish Buildings to the West of the Careenage Entrance Gardens Observations on the Buildings Building Materials: Clay Bricks The Settlement during the Abandonment   Chapter 6: Abandonment of the Settlement (1811-1820) Argentine Report of 1816 The Uranie Shipwreck, 1820 The Coquille Expedition 1822 Duperrey’s Plan, 1820 The Ruined House of the Governor (F103)   Chapter 7: United Provinces at Port Louis, 1820-21, 1824 and 1826-1833 David Jewett and The United Provinces at Port Louis Vernet and Pacheco, 1823 Vernet as Military and Political Commander British Visitors to Port Louis Vernet and the Lexington Incident Joseph Addyman’s House The British Reaction to the Events of 1832 The Settlement under the United Provinces: the archaeological survey María Sáez de Vernet’s Diary 1829 References to Earlier Buildings House of Louis Vernet (F109) Corral (F46) New Building Work under Vernet The Cemetery (F37) Gardens and Tree-planting under Vernet Vernet’s Claim against the British Government Vernet’s Corrals   Chapter 8: The British Occupation at Port Louis, 1833-1844 The British Assertion of Sovereignty FitzRoy at Port Louis The Beagle and Charles Darwin at Port Louis The Settlement, 1834-1837 Vernet’s Claim against the British Government Vernet and the Lafones The British at Port Louis: Robert Lowcay 1838-39 Naval Officer Lieut. John Tyssen, 1839-42 The Problem of Accommodation George Whitington’s Attempts to Colonise the Islands The British Government Proposal, 1840 Moody at Port Louis, 1842-44 James Clark Ross’s Visit, 1842 The Government Livestock The Projected Town of Anson The Initial Survey Sales of Town and Country Plots Planning the New Town The Transfer of Government from Port Louis to Stanley A Letter from Charles Darwin Port Louis after 1844 Decline of the Settlement at Port Louis The Division of Port Louis and the Lafones The Robson Era (1876-1997) Port Louis South Manning’s Portable Colonial Cottages The British Settlement: the archaeological survey Sources Government House (F109) Other British Houses Other Structures The Corrals The Visit of James Clark Ross, 1842 Buildings probably Constructed by Ross Other Buildings Further New Buildings in 1842-3 Gardens Structures and Installations of Uncertain Date Livestock Installations Maritime Features Gardens Buildings of Uncertain Date   Chapter 9: The Fishing Establishment at Salthouse Point, Fish Creek Location and Topographical Situation Historical Background Vernet’s Fishing Establishment Fish-House Creek under the British The Archaeological Survey Boundary Bank and Ditch (F130) Turf building (F127) Turf building (F128) Structure (F129) Turf building (F131) Dam? (F132) Turf building (F133) Turf building (F134) Turf building (F135) Fish-Trap (F139) Hollows (animal enclosures?) (F140, F141)   Chapter 10: Material Culture: The Potential of Finds Assemblages The Potential of Material Culture The Material Culture of the Gauchos Flora and Fauna Artefact Assemblages from Port Louis: Case Studies The Ceramic Finds – an Overview Leather recovered during survey at Port Louis   Chapter 11: Concluding Themes   References Abbreviations   Appendix 1: The Archaeological Features

About the Author :
Robert Philpott is a research associate in the Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology at the University of Liverpool, and an archaeological consultant. He has been researching the archaeology of the Falkland Islands since 1992. An initial survey of the first British colony at Port Egmont was followed by investigations of the Patagonian Missionary Society settlement on Keppel Island, Falkland Islands Company cattle ranching sites and the company headquarters at Darwin. Other research interests include the colonial archaeology of the Leeward Islands, and the Iron Age and later archaeology of the North West of England. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.