Fort Alice Image:Fort Alice.jpg|Fort Alice side view. Image:Fort Alice in a bad state.jpg|Fort Alice in 2010, before restoration work. Image:Fort Alice with timber missing from walls.jpg|Fort Alice in 2010. The fort has since been renovated and opened as a museum in 2015.
Fort Alice, built in 1864, is the oldest heritage building in Simanggang, constructed following the victory of
Rajah Charles Brooke, the second Rajah of Sarawak, over
Rentap, the last of the major Iban chieftains, in 1864. The Fort was named after Charles Brooke's wife, Margaret Alice Lili de Windt. It served as a defensive structure controlling the Lupar River. The structure was built on a strategic hilltop position and had a commanding view of the river with cannons bearing down to stop any threats coming from upriver. It played a major role in suppressing
piracy,
slavery, and head-hunting, while encouraging trade and expanding the authority of the Rajah. Fort Alice was the Simanggang administrative center, housing various government departments and even a prison. It was here Rajah Charles used to preside as judge settling disputes among the local Ibans during his many visits to Simanggang. It was built entirely of belian (
ironwood) timber. Much of the
timber used was taken from an earlier fort, Fort James Brooke, which had been built further upriver in Nanga Skrang. However, Fort James was built on
lowland and was hard to defend, as was proven in 1853 when one of the Rajah's officers, Alan Lee, died in an attack by the Iban chieftain Rentap. It was decided to dismantle Fort James and to rebuild it in a more strategic and more defensible site in Simanggang District (now Sri Aman Division). Thus Fort Alice was built. Most of the original structure remains substantially intact, but it is in an extremely dilapidated and run down condition and in need of urgent restoration work. Many articles have been written to highlight the sorry state of the grand old lady. Restoration for the fort had been done in April 2015 and been changed into a museum. ==Notes==