Did you know that,,,,,,,Fort Needham was begun in 1776 during the American Revolutionary War (1775-83) as a landward defence for the Halifax Naval Yard, which was established in 1759. The fort was sited on top of James Pedley’s hill, a 229-foot (70-metre) elevation in today’s North End of Halifax, just over a kilometre northwest of the Naval Yard. Constructed under the supervision of Captain William Spry, the Commander Royal Engineers (CRE) in Halifax The fortification was initially called Pedley’s Hill Redoubt, but became known as Fort Needham by 1778. The source of the name is uncertain, but believed to be after one of two British Army officers who were present in Nova Scotia during the American Revolution. V