Fort, vesting en -onderdelen, Fort Nieuwersluis Nieuwersluis (Stichtse Vecht 26)

English translation

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Description

Cluster 17. Fort with layout and earthworks, containing remains of gun emplacements, remises, shooting range, wet moat with outer banks, with remains of (maintenance) roads and with zone demarcated by boundary markers.

NEW HOLLANDIC WATER LINE Introduction

FORT WITH LAYOUT AND EARTHWORKS, CONTAINING REMAINS OF GUN EMPLACEMENTS, REMISES, SHOOTING RANGE, WET MOAT WITH OUTER BANKS, WITH REMAINS OF (MAINTENANCE) ROADS AND WITH ZONE DEMARCATED BY BOUNDARY MARKERS Fort Nieuwersluis in its present form arose from the excavation of 17th-century fortification works of Nieuwersluis located on the western bank of the Vecht. This occurred in two phases, namely in 1849, when the tower fort was built and during the large-scale renewal in 1880-1882, whereby the fort acquired its present form. Fort Nieuwersluis served to defend several inundation works and a relatively large number of accesses. The fort was, in contrast to most defensive works from the Old and New Hollandic Water Line, oriented towards an attack from the south. This could take place after the Vecht access had been passed.

Forts were usually constructed on the basis of earthworks previously put in place that served as a foundation and were to prevent subsidence in (a wet and soft) soil. In the construction of the forts, apart from this usually already tactically 'preformed' earthwork - which in itself could already fulfill a defensive role - a specific layout was also realized that was intended to enhance defensive strength, ensure the safety of the garrison and facilitate internal and external transport and traffic. Thus there arose, among other things, earthen coverings for various structures to make them less vulnerable to impacts from enemy fire, earthen ramparts that protected buildings and open areas and determined contours and paved paths and parade grounds. The layout at Fort Nieuwersluis still largely shows the situation from 1880-1882, both with regard to the earthworks and planting and as to the buildings. There remain a tower, three remises and a barracks. Some structures have disappeared such as the bascule bridge that was built in 1897 on the northeast side of the fort to replace a drawbridge from 1871 and the 'boathouse' located next to the bridge. On an aerial photograph from 1930 the bridge is still present. In the present situation the access to the fort is located on the southeast side of the fort, where a connection with the Rijksstraatweg has been constructed.

From the period of the Depot for Discipline a tubular shooting range remains.

The fort is at the time of description the property of the Vereniging Natuurmonumenten. The tower is a night and winter refuge for bats.

Description

FORT WITH LAYOUT AND EARTHWORKS, CONTAINING REMAINS OF GUN EMPLACEMENTS, REMISES, SHOOTING RANGE, WET MOAT WITH OUTER BANKS, WITH REMAINS OF (MAINTENANCE) ROADS AND WITH ZONE DEMARCATED BY BOUNDARY MARKERS of Fort Nieuwersluis. Fort Nieuwersluis, from 1880-1882, consists of a moated, asymmetrical fort island with a pair of semicircular bastions on the north and northwest side and a U-shaped bastion on the southwest side, on which heavy artillery could be positioned. The island encompasses extensive earthworks at different levels as covering for structures, roads, paths and open spaces and positions for artillery, whereby the north side is recognizable as the gorge side and the south as the front side. This also includes a former access road running in a northeast direction from the tower fort to the disappeared bridge over the moat, which reflects a no longer functioning traffic structure of the fort and also a so-called tubular shooting range to the southwest of the barracks. Part of the layout is further the semicircular earthing on the south side of the tower, partly in place of a former moat. Furthermore there is a still clearly recognizable main rampart, with remains of traverses and ramps and an access to the former access bridge, on the northeast side of the fort. Around and on the fort various so-called O-poles are still present, which indicated the boundary of the area in ownership of the Department of War. This so-called Military State Land is indicated on the map belonging to this document.

Valuation

FORT WITH LAYOUT AND EARTHWORKS, CONTAINING REMAINS OF GUN EMPLACEMENTS, REMISES, SHOOTING RANGE, WET MOAT WITH OUTER BANKS, WITH REMAINS OF (MAINTENANCE) ROADS AND WITH ZONE DEMARCATED BY BOUNDARY MARKERS is of general importance because of:

* Cultural-historical values as part of the New Hollandic Water Line as designed by C.R.T. Kraijenhoff and initially from 1815 realized by him, Jan Blanken and major-engineer Willem Offerhaus and subsequently by others for more than 125 years strengthened and improved.

* Architectural-historical values in particular as an expression of military-strategic building craft, which is based on:

a. the system of inundation and access defence (19th century),

b. the race with strengthening offensive means (19th century)

The component is an example of an earthen layout with roads and path system, earthen covering for various functions, moat, remains of (maintenance) roads and military zone demarcated by means of boundary markers from around 1850 that in a later development phase, around 1880, was improved and expanded.

* Ensemble value and situational values because of its location within the system of the New Hollandic Water Line in general and in particular in the virtually intact functional and physical coherence with the other components of the complex.

* The component is representative because it shows different phases in the development of access defence on a large scale and in largely undamaged physical surroundings and in particular those of the application of earthen covering and wet moats around forts. The component distinguishes itself from most other forts of the New Hollandic Water Line through orientation towards an enemy attack from the south, rather than from the east.

* The component is fairly well preserved because the layout from 1880-1882 is still well recognizable present.