Rock with 17th and 18th Century Graffiti Municipal Heritage Site

The Rock with 17th and 18th Century Graffiti has been designated a municipal heritage landscape feature by the Town of Fermeuse because of its historic and aesthetic values.

The Rock with 17th and 18th Century Graffiti has historical value as a physical record of the area’s history, serving as both an historic record and an artifact on the landscape. Spaces in Fermeuse Harbour were used by migratory fishing crews as early as the 16th century. It appears on a 1519 Portuguese map as Fermoso. By the late 16th century it was frequented by French, Basque, Portuguese and English West Country fishermen. By the late 17th century, Fermeuse Harbour saw year-round settlement. James Yonge’s map of 1663 shows a planter’s house in Kingman’s Cove, the general location where the Rock with 17th and 18th Century Graffiti is located. By the 18th century, Irish immigration along this coast grew, changing the ethnic composition of what had been known as the English Shore.

The Rock with 17th and 18th Century Graffiti has aesthetic value as a unique visual reminder of the human exploration and settlement of Fermeuse Harbour and environs. The rock is situated away from the shoreline and the main concentration of settlement. From its positioning along an old pathway, there is a commanding view of Kingman’s Cove and the northern side of Fermeuse Harbour. The inscriptions consist mostly of initials and dates, “Marshal Hill” being the only proper name visible. Most of the inscriptions are on the southern and eastern sides of the boulder, facing the old pathway. Many of these have become quite weathered but are nonetheless remarkable for their script style, imagery and range of dates.