Militair verblijfsgebouw, Betonnen werken bij Asperen Asperen (West Betuwe 25)

English translation

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Description

Cluster 69.

NEW HOLLAND WATERLINE

Introduction

BATTERY SHELTER MEERDIJK (South), built in 1906 as part of the defence of the lock complex at Asperen, by means of which large parts of the area in front and the southern Alblasserwaard could be inundated. Also for the defence of the Linge access. The shelter is located on the west or heel side of the Meerdijk, opposite the T-junction with the Kerkweg. Similar battery shelters and stores have also been constructed in other places on the heel sides of dike and fortification slopes as decentralised shrapnel-free accommodations for personnel and/or equipment. Another lies approximately 200 m further north. Such battery shelters arose at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, partly in response to improved and heavier assault weapons against forts and other concentrated defensive works, and were often located in the vicinity of (open) gun emplacements where a battery could be installed. North of this battery shelter are remains of an earthen gun emplacement from 1845 and improved in 1899, which has been affected by vegetation.

Description

BATTERY SHELTER MEERDIJK (South) in dike slope, executed in approximately 50 cm thick cement concrete and covered on three sides and on top with earth. The facade facing and curving at the end towards the heel side, approximately three metres high, contains on the left a heavily damaged arched entrance opening. This is flanked by arched window openings; to the right of these a similar entrance. Doors and shutters are absent. The interior consists of two rectangular rooms, the ceiling of which is reinforced with steel beams.

Valuation

The BATTERY SHELTER MEERDIJK (South) of the Concrete Works Asperen complex is of general importance because of:

* Cultural-historical values as part of the New Holland Waterline as designed by C.R.T. Kraijenhoff and initially constructed 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 construction, based on: a. the system of inundation and accesses (19th century), b. the race with increasingly strengthened offensive weapons (19th and 20th century).

This concerns a component from shortly after 1900, which is an example of a concrete battery shelter with earthen covering.

* Ensemble value and situational values as part of the New Holland Waterline. Also because of the functional and physical connection with the other components of the complex and in particular with a still reasonably recognisable nearby earthen gun emplacement by means of which an access could be covered.

* The component is representative (characteristic) because it is clearly recognisable as part of a decentralised defensive line added to the existing fortification system.

* The component is moderately well preserved because considerable cracking has occurred in the concrete component, but it can still be well recognised in the field, also in conjunction with the earthen work.