Terrain in the district is quite varied, with steep ridges and a limited amount of flat ground, as befits the island's volcanic origin.

[1] When the Dutch East India Company occupied St Helena in December 1672, they made their first landing attempt at Lemon Valley Bay, but were beaten off with boulders and rocks thrown by the defenders from the heights on the sides of the valley.

[4] After the English recaptured it in May 1673, the mouth of the Lemon Valley was quickly fortified to better deter any future attempts.

By 1717 the fort there was ruinous, and a quarantine station was built further up the valley to house the slaves recently received from Madagascar that had smallpox.

The fortifications in Lemon Valley were allowed to continue to deteriorate until they were replaced by entirely new buildings 50-odd years later.