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Charles Fort

As one of the country’s largest military installations, Charles Fort has been part of some of the most momentous events of Irish history. During the Williamite Wars, for example, it withstood a 13-day siege before it fell. Later, in the Civil War of the early 1920s, anti-Treaty forces on the retreat burned it out.

Charles Fort is a massive star-shaped structure of the late seventeenth century, well preserved despite its history. William Robinson, architect of the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, Dublin, is credited with designing it. Its dimensions are awe-inspiring – some of the outer defences are 16 metres high.

The view from the ramparts looking out over Kinsale Harbour is spectacular. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlJUbIBiyfOxS-sOCHehz8GiNx6guBXCx
goCharles Fort (Irish: Dún Chathail) is a trace italien fortification, a bastion fort with one section of the outer 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, Ireland.[1] 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.[2] 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 the ruins of an earlier stronghold known as Barry Óg Castle, at Rincurran. 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.


Seaward embrasures and lighthouse of Charles Fort
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.

Architecture Edit
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".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.John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (then 1st Earl) besieged Cork and captured Kinsale and its forts.Repairs were made following the siege.

Kinsale is a traditional commercial port with a long history. It has a splendid, virtually land locked natural harbour on the estuary of the Bandon River, 11 nautical miles South West of Cork harbour entrance about eight kilometres north-northeast of the Old Head of Kinsale. Both the outer and inner harbours cover approximately five square kilometres, providing good shelter and anchorage.

As a commercial port, Kinsale caters for approximately 100 vessels per year. The majority of commercial shipping in involved in the importation of bulk animal foods. We are also engaged in the exportation of timber to the U.K. As a pleasure port, Kinsale boasts two fully serviced Marinas and is also home to a thriving fishing fleet