Fort, vesting en -onderdelen, Werk bij Maarsseveen Maarssen (Stichtse Vecht 26)

English translation

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Description

Cluster 26. Fort layout and (remains of) earthworks, (maintenance) roads, wet moat with outer banks and military zone traditionally marked by stone posts.

NEW HOLLANDSE WATERLINIE Introduction

FORT LAYOUT AND (REMAINS OF) EARTHWORKS, (MAINTENANCE) ROADS, WET MOAT WITH OUTER BANKS AND MILITARY ZONE TRADITIONALLY MARKED BY STONE POSTS as basic components of late 19th-century defensive work. Forts were usually constructed on the basis of earthworks prepared in advance, which served as a foundation and prevented subsidence in (wet and soft) soil. In the construction of the forts, in addition to this usually already tactically 'pre-formed' earthwork - which in itself could already serve a defensive role - a specific layout was also realized which was intended to increase the defensive strength, among other things by incorporating gun emplacements, ensuring the safety of the garrison and facilitating internal and external transport and traffic. In this way, among other things, earth coverings were created for various structures to make them less vulnerable to enemy fire, earth ramparts which covered buildings and open areas and determined the contours, and paved paths and parade grounds. Forts were usually surrounded by one or more wet or dry moats to prevent any approach to the walls or the fort grounds until the last moment. Forts were normally only accessible via one or more bridges or via a narrow isthmus. Where a permanent direct connection between the interior and exterior existed for waterworks or other reasons, it was constructed in such a way that it was difficult or nearly impossible to cross. The use of so-called chevaux-de-frise, anti-tank obstacles and/or gate works was common in this regard. Along the outer side of the moats there was often a road or path. This component could be laid out either in the form of a covered way (glacis/enveloppe), or also at or above ground level. These roads or paths could have various functions, ranging from public road to maintenance path, and also from military covered way to exclusive access road to the fort. Beyond the wet moat there is often a zone (traditionally and still partly) marked with boundary stones as such over which the Ministry of War had authority. The earthworks of the Work at Maarsseveen were largely leveled in 1940 and the fort is now freely accessible. Only the earth covering of the barracks building was retained in this process. The zone over which the Ministry of War had authority around the Work at Maarsseveen, the Military Land, is still clearly observable in the field, among other things through ditch patterns and field layouts. The relationship with the former inundation area and the former field of fire is largely intact.

Description

FORT LAYOUT AND (REMAINS OF) EARTHWORKS, (MAINTENANCE) ROADS, WET MOAT WITH OUTER BANKS AND MILITARY ZONE TRADITIONALLY MARKED BY STONE POSTS as part of the Fort at Maarsseveen. The fort consists essentially of a rectangular earthwork with strongly rounded boundaries, surrounded by a wet moat. The contours and earthworks were realized in the years 1880-1881. The contours, the earth covering of the barracks building, the fort moat and the outer banks where the maintenance path was located are still clearly recognizable. Beyond this is a zone still recognizable in the field through ditch and road patterns which belonged to the military terrain, the Military Land, which is indicated on the map attached to this document.

Valuation

FORT LAYOUT AND (REMAINS OF) EARTHWORKS, (MAINTENANCE) ROADS, WET MOAT WITH OUTER BANKS AND MILITARY ZONE TRADITIONALLY MARKED BY STONE POSTS of the Fort at Maarsseveen are of general importance because of:

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

* Architectural-historical values in particular as an expression of military-strategic construction, which is based on: a. the system of inundation and access defence (19th century), b. the race with increasingly powerful offensive means (19th century)

The component is an example of an earth layout with roads and paths and a structure with earth covering for various functions, with a wet moat and a military zone marked by means of boundary stones - the whole from the years 1880-1886.

* Ensemble value and situational values because of its location within the system of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie in general, because of the basic relationship with the other components of the complex and in particular because of the virtually intact relationship with the field of fire.

* The component is reasonably illustrative because it shows the system of access defence in a largely undamaged physical environment.

* The component is reasonably well preserved because it shows the foundation and ground plan of fort earthworks and the system of protecting structures by means of earth covering.