Co-authors W. Clifford Roberts, Jr. and Matthew A.M. Locke looked comfortable in the recently produced video tour explaining the history of Castle Pinckney and its key features.

But apparently, it was not as easy as they made it look!

“For Matthew and me, speaking off the cuff for this video was more challenging than we thought it would be,” Cliff Roberts admitted. “Rob Shenk did a great job filming us, crafting each segment, putting the segments into a logical progression, adding content, and using his drone footage. So, we are very appreciative of Rob volunteering his time and expertise to produce it.

“Castle Pinckney is the oldest fortification still standing in Charleston Harbor, yet few citizens have a grasp of the amazing history behind this fort,” he added. “Rob’s video gives everyone a peek inside the place and a chance to hear some of the stories that are associated with Castle Pinckney.”

According to Matthew Locke, the fortification is in remarkable condition considering it is nearly 213 years old and its repair and preservation have been largely neglected for many decades.

“This is a testimony to the skill of the engineers and laborers who designed and built it,” Locke said. “However, this does not mean that the Castle and even the island (Shute’s Folly) itself have not been immune to the effects of time and actions of man.

“The damage is most noticeable on the eastern side of Shute’s Folly where large parts of the island have been lost due largely to the continued dredging of the Cooper River Channel and the rising sea level,” he explained. “The erosion of the island, the wave action within the harbor, and the consequences of placing thousands of tons of earth and concrete within and atop the masonry structure during and since the Civil War have all combined to place Castle Pinckney at more risk now than any other time.”

Currently, Castle Pinckney is not open to the public.

The Castle Pinckney Historical Preservation Society, a nonprofit 501(c)3, is responsible for the preservation and protection of the fortification and its history. The organization and its volunteers are dedicated to the general preservation of Castle Pickney, and to its feasible and appropriate restoration.

“The purpose of this preservation effort,” Locke said, “is to reestablish the historical significance of the site and to allow everyone to better understand the role that Castle Pinckney and Charleston Harbor played in the development of the City of Charleston and in American History.”