Ireland - Kinsale - Charles Fort
Irlanda - Kinsale - Fuerte Charles
ENGLISH:
Charles Fort is a star fort located on the water's edge, at the southern end of the village of Summer Cove, on Kinsale harbour, County Cork, Ireland. First completed in 1682, Charles Fort was sometimes historically referred to as the "new fort" - to contrast with James' Fort (the "old fort") which had been built on the other side of Kinsale harbour before 1607. The fort is now operated as a heritage tourism site by the Heritage Ireland arm of the Office of Public Works.
Charles Fort was built on the site of an earlier stronghold known as Ringcurran Castle. The Ringcurran defences had featured prominently during the Siege of Kinsale in 1601.
The new fort, which is named after Charles II, was designed by the Surveyor-general Sir William Robinson - architect of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Additional site structures are attributed to engineer Captain Thomas Philips. The fort was built between 1677 and 1682 to a star fortification design; a layout specifically designed to resist attack by cannon. It became known as the "new fort" - to contrast with James' Fort (the "old fort") which had been built on the other side of Kinsale harbour between 1602 and 1607.
With a focus on seaward defence, the landward and inland bastions of the fort are overlooked by higher ground. This weakness was of critical importance when the fort was subject to a 13-day siege in 1690 during the Williamite War in Ireland. John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (then 1st Earl) besieged Cork and captured Kinsale and its forts. Repairs were made following the siege.
An early lighthouse was established here in the 17th century by Robert Reading, and additional works (including the development of internal "citadel" defences) were added through the 18th and 19th centuries.
The fort remained in use as a British Army barracks for two hundred years afterwards, before being relinquished by British forces following the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. The fort fell out of use after being burned by retreating anti-Treaty forces during the Irish Civil War in 1922.
The complex remained largely derelict for some time, but was named a National Monument of Ireland in 1971. Over the coming decades several sections of the fort were restored by Dúchas, the Irish heritage service. Restoration and development of the complex was later taken-over by the Office of Public Works (OPW) - including the development of an exhibition space in the former commander's quarters.
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ESPAÑOL:
El Charles Fort es un fuerte con forma de estrella considerado uno de los mejores ejemplos de este tipo de arquitectura en Europa. Su existencia no ha sido sencilla: batallas, asedios, incendios y, por último, se incluyó en la lista de Monumentos Nacionales y, gracias a un extensivo programa de restauración -aún en marcha- ha recuperado parte de su estética original. A día de hoy está gestionado por el Gobierno y abierto al público durante casi todo el año.
Kinsale, incluso antes de la construcción del fuerte, era un importante punto estratégico. Entre el siglo XV y el XVII, el puerto era de los más importantes del país y fue aquí donde se libró una de los conflictos bélicos más significativos de la historia irlandesa: la Batalla de Kinsale (1602). En este estuario se enfrentaron por un lado los ingleses y, por el otro, una flota de navíos españoles (aún de resaca de la aventura de la Armada Invencible) que se unió a los principales clanes irlandeses encabezados por la dinastía O’Neill con el objetivo de echar a toda costa a los foráneos de la isla. La principal consecuencia de esta batalla es que muchos de los jefes de los clanes tuvieron que exiliarse en el extranjero y, además, con la victoria, los británicos vieron luz verde para comenzar la colonización del Ulster.
Después de esta batalla los ingleses construyeron el James Fort al otro lado del estuario (hoy día en ruinas) y luego, en la segunda mitad del siglo XVII levantaron este Charles Fort. Aún así, no muchos años después, Kinsale volvió a vivir otro episodio transcendental: tras la batalla del Boyne (1690) en la que se enfrentaron el protestante Guillermo de Orange contra el católico Jaime II (con victoria del primero), los ‘williamitas’ (seguidores de Guillermo) asediaron y bañaron en fuego de cañón al Charles Fort (ocupado entonces por partidarios de Jaime que al final acabaron rindiéndose).
Ireland - Kinsale - Charles Fort
Irlanda - Kinsale - Fuerte Charles
ENGLISH:
Charles Fort is a star fort located on the water's edge, at the southern end of the village of Summer Cove, on Kinsale harbour, County Cork, Ireland. First completed in 1682, Charles Fort was sometimes historically referred to as the "new fort" - to contrast with James' Fort (the "old fort") which had been built on the other side of Kinsale harbour before 1607. The fort is now operated as a heritage tourism site by the Heritage Ireland arm of the Office of Public Works.
Charles Fort was built on the site of an earlier stronghold known as Ringcurran Castle. The Ringcurran defences had featured prominently during the Siege of Kinsale in 1601.
The new fort, which is named after Charles II, was designed by the Surveyor-general Sir William Robinson - architect of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham. Additional site structures are attributed to engineer Captain Thomas Philips. The fort was built between 1677 and 1682 to a star fortification design; a layout specifically designed to resist attack by cannon. It became known as the "new fort" - to contrast with James' Fort (the "old fort") which had been built on the other side of Kinsale harbour between 1602 and 1607.
With a focus on seaward defence, the landward and inland bastions of the fort are overlooked by higher ground. This weakness was of critical importance when the fort was subject to a 13-day siege in 1690 during the Williamite War in Ireland. John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (then 1st Earl) besieged Cork and captured Kinsale and its forts. Repairs were made following the siege.
An early lighthouse was established here in the 17th century by Robert Reading, and additional works (including the development of internal "citadel" defences) were added through the 18th and 19th centuries.
The fort remained in use as a British Army barracks for two hundred years afterwards, before being relinquished by British forces following the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. The fort fell out of use after being burned by retreating anti-Treaty forces during the Irish Civil War in 1922.
The complex remained largely derelict for some time, but was named a National Monument of Ireland in 1971. Over the coming decades several sections of the fort were restored by Dúchas, the Irish heritage service. Restoration and development of the complex was later taken-over by the Office of Public Works (OPW) - including the development of an exhibition space in the former commander's quarters.
*******************************************************************************
ESPAÑOL:
El Charles Fort es un fuerte con forma de estrella considerado uno de los mejores ejemplos de este tipo de arquitectura en Europa. Su existencia no ha sido sencilla: batallas, asedios, incendios y, por último, se incluyó en la lista de Monumentos Nacionales y, gracias a un extensivo programa de restauración -aún en marcha- ha recuperado parte de su estética original. A día de hoy está gestionado por el Gobierno y abierto al público durante casi todo el año.
Kinsale, incluso antes de la construcción del fuerte, era un importante punto estratégico. Entre el siglo XV y el XVII, el puerto era de los más importantes del país y fue aquí donde se libró una de los conflictos bélicos más significativos de la historia irlandesa: la Batalla de Kinsale (1602). En este estuario se enfrentaron por un lado los ingleses y, por el otro, una flota de navíos españoles (aún de resaca de la aventura de la Armada Invencible) que se unió a los principales clanes irlandeses encabezados por la dinastía O’Neill con el objetivo de echar a toda costa a los foráneos de la isla. La principal consecuencia de esta batalla es que muchos de los jefes de los clanes tuvieron que exiliarse en el extranjero y, además, con la victoria, los británicos vieron luz verde para comenzar la colonización del Ulster.
Después de esta batalla los ingleses construyeron el James Fort al otro lado del estuario (hoy día en ruinas) y luego, en la segunda mitad del siglo XVII levantaron este Charles Fort. Aún así, no muchos años después, Kinsale volvió a vivir otro episodio transcendental: tras la batalla del Boyne (1690) en la que se enfrentaron el protestante Guillermo de Orange contra el católico Jaime II (con victoria del primero), los ‘williamitas’ (seguidores de Guillermo) asediaron y bañaron en fuego de cañón al Charles Fort (ocupado entonces por partidarios de Jaime que al final acabaron rindiéndose).