Does it not strike you as remarkable that we’re standing amidst history? This is Wormsloe’s Fort Outpost Tabby Ruins. These ruins whisper tales of colonial Georgia. They speak of a man named Noble Jones.
Wormsloe was once a fortified house. It stood proudly on the Isle of Hope. Noble Jones founded it. He arrived in America with James Oglethorpe in 1733. Jones was a man of many talents. He was a surveyor, physician, and carpenter.
Around 1737, Jones began building his fortified tabby house. The War of Jenkins’ Ear interrupted his work. He finally finished it in 1745. The tabby ruins include portions of the 8-foot wall. Bastions stand on the corners. You can see a well. There is also a cellar and a double-hearth brick chimney.
Jones constructed the fort between 1739 and 1745. He used wood and tabby. Tabby is a crude type of concrete. It’s made from oyster shells and lime. Oglethorpe assigned Jones a 12-man marine garrison. He also gave him a scout boat. They patrolled the river.
“Wormslow” was the name Jones gave his estate. It likely refers to Wormslow Hundred. This is in Herefordshire in the Welsh border country. The Jones family hailed from there.
Noble Jones’s fortified house was part of a network of defenses. These defenses protected Savannah. They guarded against potential Spanish invasion. Conflict arose in 1739. This was the start of the War of Jenkins’ Ear. Jones took part in a raid along the St. Johns River in Florida in 1740.
Slavery was initially banned in Georgia. Jones used indentured servants to tend Wormsloe. The Trustees revoked the ban on slavery in 1749. Jones then used slave labor to make Wormsloe profitable. He planted corn, rice, fruits, and vegetables.
Noble Jones died in 1775. Wormsloe passed to his daughter. His death came as the colonies were breaking away from England. Jones remained loyal to King George III. His son, Noble Wimberly Jones, supported the Patriot cause.
Wormsloe remained in the Jones family for generations. George Jones built a new house in 1828. His son, George Frederick Tilghman Jones, inherited Wormsloe in 1857. He changed the spelling to “Wormsloe.”
During the Civil War, Confederate forces fortified Wormsloe. Union forces captured Savannah in 1864. The Jones family fled. The U.S. government confiscated the plantation. It was later returned.
In 1973, the state of Georgia acquired most of Wormsloe Plantation. In 1979, it opened to the public as a historic site.
Today, Wormsloe State Historic Site includes a scenic oak-lined avenue. There is a museum. A walking trail leads to the tabby fort ruins. You can also see a colonial life demonstration area.
Wormsloe’s Fort Outpost Tabby Ruins stand as a reminder of Savannah’s past. They speak of a time when colonists struggled to survive. They defended their new home. Take a moment to appreciate the history around you. Imagine life in colonial Georgia.