Fort, vesting en -onderdelen, Gageldijk bij 165

English translation

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Description

Cluster 30. Fort construction and earthworks.

NEW HOLLANDIC WATER LINE

Introduction

FORT CONSTRUCTION AND EARTHWORKS - INCLUDING (REMAINS OF) GUN EMPLACEMENT POSITIONS, CONCRETE BREASTWORK, GATE PIERS - WET MOAT WITH OUTER BANKS AND (DIVERSION AND MAINTENANCE) ROADS, REMAINS OF GLACIS, RECEPTION BASIN AND THE MILITARY ZONE TRADITIONALLY DEMARCATED BY STONE POSTS as fundamental components of the defensive works of Fort De Gagel. Fort De Gagel is one of the oldest forts belonging to the New Hollandic Water Line; it was constructed as an earthwork in the years 1819-1821 and at that time consisted of several L-shaped earth ramparts with gun emplacement positions, surrounded by a moat. Forts and comparable works were usually constructed on the basis of earth structures prepared beforehand, which served as a foundation and were meant to prevent subsidence in (wet and soft) soil. In the construction of these defensive works, in addition to this usually tactically 'pre-formed' earth structure - which in itself already fulfilled or could fulfill a defensive role - a specific layout was also realised which was intended to increase defensive strength, ensure the safety of the garrison and facilitate internal and external transport and traffic. This resulted in, amongst other things, earth coverings for various structures, to make them less vulnerable to enemy fire, earth ramparts that protected buildings and open areas and also determined their contours, and furthermore covered approaches, paved paths and parade grounds. The earthworks were laid out in widely differing ground plans, often with one or more bastions, which could also vary in form. Around the earth structure came - where possible - a wet moat. Over the moat there was usually a (partly removable) bridge - various types occur - but sometimes there was a fixed bank connection, for example in the form of a dam, which (could) form part of the road system. Along the outside of the moats there was often a road or path, possibly laid out as a covered way, but sometimes also level with or even 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. Outside the wet moat there is moreover often a zone (traditionally and still partly) marked as such with boundary posts over which the Ministry of War had authority, the so-called Military Crown Land. Fort De Gagel deviates somewhat from this general pattern. Thus the square guardhouse at the gorge side of the fort is a fairly rare type of building and the application of a ravelin or outwork / advanced fort at the entrance to the fort is an element that occurs only rarely. Bastions are absent, while the mainly rectangular work features perpendicular intersecting runs of the main rampart almost everywhere. The gorge side of the fort faces the southwest and the front side faces the northeast. The ravelin is connected to the Klopdijk and forms a kind of 'outer strongpoint', where amongst other things a fort keeper's residence is located.

Description

FORT CONSTRUCTION AND EARTHWORKS - INCLUDING (REMAINS OF) GUN EMPLACEMENT POSITIONS, CONCRETE BREASTWORK, GATE PIERS - WET MOAT WITH OUTER BANKS AND (DIVERSION AND MAINTENANCE) ROADS, REMAINS OF GLACIS, RECEPTION BASIN AND THE MILITARY ZONE TRADITIONALLY DEMARCATED BY STONE POSTS as the basis and contours of the defensive work Fort De Gagel. The fort, in its current form dating mainly from the first half of the 19th century, has a roughly rectangular ground plan which is entirely surrounded by a moat. Fort De Gagel served to close off and defend two access routes that intersected at this location. Centrally on the southwest side (gorge side) lies a more or less square projection of the earth structure, on which sits an equally square guardhouse; to the right of this the contour of the work recedes somewhat at an angle. Along the edges of the fort structure an earth main rampart has been laid out - on the front side partly levelled - in which there may still be traces of gun emplacements and in which remains of a concrete breastwork lie. On the left, in front of the barracks a slope as part of the rampart, with retaining wall towards barracks. At the gorge side of the fort lies, beside the end of the Klopdijk, a kind of ravelin - a rectangular peninsula, with amongst other things the fort keeper's residence and an access bridge to the fort. At the entrance to the fort, beside the fort keeper's residence are two piers of an access gate. The moat of Fort De Gagel, which also encloses the ravelin, is still completely present; outside the moat lie the Gageldijk and the Burgemeester Huydecoperweg (as continuation of the Klopdijk) conducted around the fort, and further the maintenance path, remains of the glacis, as well as a reception basin for inundation water. The boundary of the construction coincides with that of an area (formerly) demarcated with boundary posts, the so-called Military Crown Land - over which the Ministry of War had authority.

Valuation

The FORT CONSTRUCTION AND EARTHWORKS - INCLUDING (REMAINS OF) GUN EMPLACEMENT POSITIONS, CONCRETE BREASTWORK, GATE PIERS - WET MOAT WITH OUTER BANKS AND (DIVERSION AND MAINTENANCE) ROADS, REMAINS OF GLACIS, RECEPTION BASIN AND THE MILITARY ZONE TRADITIONALLY DEMARCATED BY STONE POSTS of Fort De Gagel is of general importance for the following reasons:

* Cultural-historical values as part of the New Hollandic Water Line as designed by C.R.T. Kraijenhoff and in its initial construction from 1815 by him, Jan Blanken and Major-Engineer Willem Offerhaus and subsequently by others during more than 125 years strengthened and improved.

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

The component is an example of an earth construction with moat, diversion road and military zone demarcated by means of boundary posts, mainly from the period 1819-1821 and improved in later phases.

* Archaeological values due to the possible remains or traces in the soil of earlier construction and construction phases, gun emplacement positions, trenches, earthworks, water works and the like.

* Ensemble value and situational values through its location within the New Hollandic Water Line system in general and through the recognisable relationship with the Klopvaart in particular.

* The component is representative because it is a good example of the construction of a fort that served as part of the defence of access routes, sluice works and an inundation canal.

* The component is relatively well preserved because the ground plan, the moat and the maintenance path have been preserved virtually complete.