Inclined Plane (Jacob's Ladder)

In 1829 a local engineer built a funicular railway under the supervision of the Royal Engineers to carry goods from Jamestown to Ladder Hill Fort. Either side of the 700 steps was a railway on wooden sleepers powered by donkeys turning a capstan. By 1871 termite damage to the sleepers caused the Royal Engineers to remove the railways. The steps remain in use although there are now only 699 as the road covered one. It is called 'Jacob's Ladder'. In 2022 the ladder was refurbished with a donation from Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC in memory of his father, Eric, who carried him up the steps as a young boy. Lord Ashcroft has the largest collection of Victoria and George Crosses which was until the beginning of June 2025 on display in the Imperial War Museum.
The current record for ascending the 699 steps is 4 minutes 40.75 seconds set on 21 Nov 2024.

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Source

• Text: Sharky Ward
• Photos: Anthony (Sharky) Ward (1, 2), Anthony (Sharky) Ward (3, 4)