Versperring, Gageldijk bij 165

English translation

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Description

Cluster 30. Access Bridge II (to the fort).

NEW HOLLAND WATERLINE

Introduction

ACCESS BRIDGE II (to the fort), located on the southwest side of Fort de Gagel over the moat between landhead and fort. The bridge dates in origin from 1879-1880 and was restored around 2007. Raising or removing / destroying bridges has since ancient times been an effective means of warding off intruders. Not only was passage or crossing over a watercourse, a dry or wet moat or a terrain depression thus hindered or delayed, but an attacker also had to provide means to potentially overcome the barrier themselves. Wooden bridges were relatively quick to destroy, if necessary by setting them on fire. Stone and concrete bridges required a larger and more time-consuming intervention, although an explosive charge could sometimes quickly achieve the desired effect. With the advent of iron bridges - applied on a large scale in the course of the 19th century in many variants - the second possibility remained, but the first disappeared. Blowing up bridges was capital destruction and happened only in extreme necessity. Ways in which iron bridges could be closed was raising or removing, or else making inaccessible, (small) parts of them. The bridge forms the connection between the landhead or outwork that is coupled to the Klopdijk near the fort-keeper's house and the entrance to the actual fort, at the guard house. Part of the bridge was removable.

Description

ACCESS BRIDGE II (to fort) from 1879-1880, between the landhead or outwork and the fort grounds (approx. 12 x 3.50 m), consisting of a wooden bridge deck resting on heavy wooden yokes, which is provided on both sides with four bays of iron bridge railings with rosette crossing bracing. Approximately halfway along the bridge is a (formerly) removable section provided with five bays with chains as 'railings'.

Valuation

The ACCESS BRIDGE II (to fort) of Fort De Gagel is of general importance because of:

* Cultural-historical values as part of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie 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 for approximately 125 years.

* Architectural-historical values, in particular as an expression of military-strategic architecture, which was based on and arose as a consequence of - the system of inundation and access defence (19th century) and - the competition with increasingly powerful offensive means (19th century).

This concerns a component originally dating from around 1880, namely an expression related to military-strategic architecture of historical road and water construction.

* Ensemble value and situational values as part of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie, as well as because of the functional and physical coherence with the other components of the complex.

* The component is representative (characteristic) because it is a good example of application of this type of bridge in a military situation.

* The component is reasonably well preserved because main form and building details, as well as various components have remained intact.