Charles Fort (Ireland)

Charles Fort was built on the site of the ruins of an earlier stronghold known as Barry Óg Castle, at Rincurran.[4] The Ringcurran defences had featured prominently during the Siege of Kinsale in 1601.[5]

The new fort, which is named after Charles II,[6] was designed by the Surveyor-general Sir William Robinson - architect of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.[3] Additional site structures are attributed to engineer Captain Thomas Philips.[7] The fort was built between 1677 and 1682 to a design which included elements similar to star fortifications;[8] 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.[2]

Seaward embrasures and lighthouse of Charles Fort

An early lighthouse was established here in the 17th century by Robert Reading,[9] and additional works (including the development of internal "citadel" defences) were added through the 18th and 19th centuries.[7]

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.[10]

Charles Fort is an example of a pentagonally bastioned fort. The five bastions are named, in turn, the "Kinsale" (also known as the "Devil's"), the "Charles", the "Cockpit", the "Flagstaff" and the "North".[4] The "Kinsale" and the "Charles" - the seaward bastions - are more substantial than the other three, as it was expected that the fort would be attacked from sea.

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.[7][10] John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (then 1st Earl) besieged Cork and captured Kinsale and its forts.[10] Repairs were made following the siege.[11]

The complex remained largely derelict for some time, but was named a National Monument of Ireland in 1971.[11] 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.[12]

Charles Fort is one of the most visited OPW sites in the region,[13] attracting in excess of 86,000 visitors in 2015.[14]

• 
  Fortifications
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  Entrance
• 
  Carronades in the fort
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  View from guard house
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  View of officer's house
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  Kinsale Harbour in 1714, before the Royal Navy moved their operations to Cork

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Charles Fort (Ireland).

• Governor of Kinsale and Charles Fort
• Camden Fort Meagher - a similar coastal fortification defending Cork Harbour