Charles Fort, Kinsale
Charles Fort (Irish: Dún Chathail) is a bastion fort with one section of the curtain wall built in star fashion. It is located on the water's edge, at the southern end of the village of Summer Cove, on Kinsale harbour, County Cork. 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 design which included elements similar to star fortifications; 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.
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 the anti-Treaty IRA 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.Since then restoration work has been undertaken and the fort is now one of the most popular Office of Public Works sites in the country.
Read MoreThe 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 design which included elements similar to star fortifications; 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.
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 the anti-Treaty IRA 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.Since then restoration work has been undertaken and the fort is now one of the most popular Office of Public Works sites in the country.
