Militaire opslagplaats, Gedekte Gemeenschapsweg met Inundatiekanaal Houten

English translation

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Description

Cluster 58. Ammunition niches 1907-1908.

NEW HOLLAND WATERLINE

Introduction

AMMUNITION NICHES 1907-1908 in the bank of the Covered Communal Road, as part of linear and access defence based on covered roads, dykes, trench systems and the like. By applying relatively small, dispersed storage places for ammunition, the risk of fatal hits was reduced, while the accessibility of the depots for the defenders was increased. From the beginning of the 20th century, experiments were also conducted with deconcentrated, small (concrete) works. In this, ad hoc use was sometimes made of existing available materials such as railway rails, rubble, wooden beams and concrete slabs, but alongside this prefabricated components were assembled or concrete was poured on site. Thus, on various sites within the New Holland Waterline - whether or not unique - traces of such experiments in concrete can still be found. In the complex Covered Communal Road, with Inundation Canal, amongst others, unreinforced concrete ammunition niches from the period 1907-1908 occur.

Description

AMMUNITION NICHES 1907-1908 which are located in multiple places in the western slope of the earthen bank along the Inundation Canal and the Covered Communal Road and which are executed in cement concrete (unreinforced concrete). The ammunition niches are located largely underground and are recognisable as groups of two, three or four, very small, low or conversely high in the slope of the bank located concrete vertical walls which are closed by arch segments. There are a few, mutually slightly different types. The access points are bricked up. The ammunition niches today lie partly apparently without any logical relationship in the slope, but at that time they were functionally linked to batteries along the Covered Communal Road. The difference in level arose because the batteries were laid at different levels in relation to the elevation of the gun. Ammunition niches such as these are encountered elsewhere in the New Holland Waterline rarely or not at all and they possess, also because of their concentrated occurrence here, considerable rarity value.

Valuation

The AMMUNITION NICHES 1907-1908 in the bank of the Covered Communal Road are of general importance because of:

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

* Architectural-historical values, in particular as an expression of military-strategic building, which is based on: a. the system of inundation and access defence (19th and 20th century), b. the race with increasingly strengthened offensive means (19th and 20th century).

These are components from the period 1900-1910. These components are examples of relatively small, concrete-executed deconcentrated ammunition niches from the years 1907-1908.

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

* The components are representative (characteristic) because they are clearly recognisable as part of a deconcentrated defence line added to the existing fortification system and they possess - also in their mutual coherence - considerable rarity value because comparable specimens are elsewhere not or little (any more) known.

* The components are intact and can still be recognised as built elements in situ.