139f. Charles Fort, that once defended Kinsale and its harbour

SCENES from IRELAND - County Cork

Charles Fort (Irish: Dún Chathail) on Kinsale Harbour is a magnificent bastion fort with one section of the outer wall built in star fashion.

It was built on the water's edge, at the southern end of the village of Summer Cove, on Kinsale harbour.

Charles Fort was completed in 1682, sometimes historically referred to as the "new fort" because of the older fort James' Fort (the "old fort") which was 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 and well worth visiting with great guides to help you understand the story of Charles Fort.

See also 139b The Town of Kinsale - street scenes and the harbour marina  139c St Multose Church, Kinsale  

139e The Scilly walk from Kinsale to Charles Fort  139g Desmond Castle, Kinsale  139h James Fort and Dock Beach near Kinsale

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A brief history of Charles Fort

Charles Fort was built on the site of the ruins of an earlier stronghold known as Barry Óg Castle, at Rincurran whose defences had used in the Siege of Kinsale in 1601.

The Charles Fort, was named after the reigning king Charles II, and designed by the Surveyor-general Sir William Robinson.

Other structures are attributed to engineer Captain Thomas Philips.

The fort was constructed between 1678 and 1682 to a design which included a classic defensive star fortifications; a layout specifically designed to resist attack by cannon.

Charles Fort incorporates seaward embrasures and lighthouse - an early lighthouse was established here in the 17th century by Robert Reading, and extra defensive structures, including the development of internal "citadel" defences were added in the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1690 there was a fierce battle for the fort - 1,200 men loyal to Catholic James II held Charles Fort, but Protestant William III (of Orange) deployed 10,000 men and took the fort by attacking from the higher ground on the landward side of the fort, but it took a 13 day siege and heavy cannon fire to breach the walls.

Charles Fort was used as a British Army barracks for two hundred years afterwards for infantry barracks and as a military depot, but finally being relinquished by British forces in 1922 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, but restoration works has produced a really good heritage site.

Architecture

Architecturally, Charles Fort is an example of a pentagonally bastioned fort - a star shaped citadel - a bastioned fort built for the British Army and manned with 94 cannons.

Star shaped forts were considered a very effective defence against cannon and musket fire - but also allows defenders to bear cannon crossfire on attackers.

The five bastions are named, in turn, the "Kinsale" (also known as the "Devil's" bastion), the "Charles" bastion, the "Cockpit" bastion, the "Flagstaff" bastion and the "North" bastion.

The "Kinsale" and the "Charles" are the seaward bastions - are more substantial than the other three, as it was expected that the fort would be attacked from sea and the guns would have pointed out towards the entrance to Kinsale Harbour..

Unfortunately, with prominence given to on seaward pointing defences, the landward and inland bastions of the fort are overlooked by higher ground.

This defensive 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, and not surprisingly, repairs were needed after the siege - to make sure it would never be taken again.
 

Looking seaward across the Devil's Bastion of Charles Fort.

The North Bastion of Charles Fort, the entrance gate and archway is on the left.

The stone arched entrance to Charles Fort, looking through towards the mouth Kinsale Harbour - an excellent defensive position.

A general seaward view across Kinsale Harbour from the yard of Charles Fort

On the far left the Charles Bastion and in the foreground the gun emplacements pointing seaward from the Charles Fort.

Looking down to the landward side of Charles Bastion of Charles Fort.

Looking across the Charles Bastion of Charles Fort to the entrance of Kinsale Harbour.

A general view of the barracks buildings and domestic soldiers quarters of Charles Fort.

Swivel gun emplacements by the Charles Bastion of Charles Fort (above and two images below).

Swivel gun emplacements and White Lady's Turret of Charles Fort

The lighthouse of Charles Fort.

Details of the barracks and living quarters of the soldiers of Charles Fort.

A view towards Kinsale town from the Devil's Bastion of Charles Fort.

A view from the Devil's bastion of Charles Fort towards the entrance to Kinsale Harbour.

A view from Charles Fort towards Kinsale from the Devils Bastion.

A view from the Devils Bastion to the North Bastion of Charles Fort.

A view seawards from half way between the North Bastion and Devils Bastion.

The Devil's Bastion of Charles Fort.

The Flagstaff Bastion of Charles Fort, the gate entrance beyond on the right.

The Cockpit Bastion, with a small tower on top, on the right.

Four more views of the Charles Bastion of Charles Fort.

See also 139b The Town of Kinsale - street scenes and the harbour marina  139c St Multose Church, Kinsale  

139e The Scilly walk from Kinsale to Charles Fort  139g Desmond Castle, Kinsale  139h James Fort and Dock Beach near Kinsale

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