The 1812 Memorial Park was developed to commemorate the defense of Lewes against a two-day bombardment by the British fleet on April 6-7, 1813.
A 74-gun frigate, the Poictiers, one ship of the line, the Belvidere, and a schooner attacked the town and demanded fresh provisions from the Lewes community. They were refused by Col. Samuel Boyer Davis, commander of American troops in Lewes.
Because so many trees obstructed the view of the attackers, very few cannon shots actually struck property and the final damage was very little. One shot did hit the door of Caleb Rodney's store, another struck the Rowland House on Front Street, and another hit the McIlvaine home in Gills Neck.
But the only casualties were a chicken that was killed and a pig whose leg was broken. The door from the Rodney store can be seen in the Zwaanendael Museum and a wooden marker shows where the Rowland House (known as the Cannonball House) was struck.
Many cannon balls from the attack were collected by local residents and preserved to this day.