Fort, vesting en -onderdelen, Fort Uitermeer

English translation

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Description

Cluster 4. Swing bridge.

NEW HOLLANDIC WATERLINE

Introduction

SWING BRIDGE which provides access to Fort Uitermeer from the north side and which presumably dates from 1878. The bridge was initially constructed on the west side, close to the tower fort, but was later moved or replaced in a northerly direction to connect two sections of the river dike with one another. At that time there was no spit of land (in fact the old river dike), as there is now, but rather a crossing was made over the fort moat to the river dike. The raising or removal / destruction of bridges has been a proven means of warding off intruders since antiquity. Not only did this hinder or delay passage or crossing over a watercourse, a dry or wet moat or a depression in the terrain, but an attacker also had to provide means to take the barrier if necessary. Wooden bridges were relatively quick to destroy, if necessary by setting them on fire. Stone and concrete bridges required a larger and more time-consuming intervention, although a demolition charge could sometimes quickly achieve the desired effect. With the advent of iron bridges - applied on a large scale in the course of the 19th century in many different variants - the second possibility remained, but the first disappeared. Blowing up bridges was capital destruction and only happened in the utmost necessity. One way in which iron bridges could be closed was by removing or making inaccessible (small) parts of them. The swing bridge was built at the same time as the lock with raising bridge and lock-keeper's house in the diverted 's-Gravelandsche Vaart. The swing bridge provided passage for vessels traveling from the Vecht to the lock and vice versa. From a military-strategic point of view, a swing bridge had the advantage over a raising bridge in that when in the open position it was difficult to hit by enemy fire.

Description

Probably dating from 1878, a small SWING BRIDGE over the northern fort moat of Fort Uitermeer with a roadway of removable wooden beams on iron girders with bolts. The bridge (approximately 11.00 x 2.25 m) has brick abutments, provided at regular intervals with stone nosings at places where the construction requires it. In the northern abutment is a stone recess for the bridge deck, in the southern abutment the pivot plate is mounted on a stone platform, by means of which the bridge can be swung away via chains. The bridge is provided with a wrought iron railing on narrow posts. Between the posts are diagonally placed ribs which simultaneously provide bracing in the bridge railing and serve as ornament.

Valuation

The SWING BRIDGE is of general importance because of:

* Cultural-historical values as part of the New Hollandic Waterline as designed by C.R.T. Kraijenhoff and initially from 1815 by him, Jan Blanken and Major-Engineer Willem Offerhaus, and subsequently by others over approximately 125 years strengthened and improved.

* Architectural-historical values, in particular as an expression of military-strategic building, which is based on the system of inundation and access defence (19th century).

The component is an example of an expression of historical water engineering related to military-strategic building serving as an access bridge to Fort Uitermeer.

* Ensemble value and situational values as part of the New Hollandic Waterline. Also because of the functional and physical coherence with the other components of the complex.

* The component is characteristic because it forms a unity with Fort Uitermeer and is related to the lock, raising bridge and lock-keeper's house and because as a building type at a fort it is fairly rare.

* The component is well preserved and can still be well recognized in the field in its original function.