castle castle artillery fort constructed henry_viii near cornwall formed king device programme protect invasion france defended mouth original circular gun platform expanded end century cope increasing spanish threat ring extensive stone built older castle saw service english civil war held taken parliament long siege survived charles_ii renovated fortress restoration throne ongoing concerns possible french invasion resulted defences upgraded napoleonic wars castle held guns 1880s 1890s electrically operated minefield laid operated new quick firing guns installed support defences castle saw service second world wars obsolete decommissioned passed control cleared away modern military buildings opened site visitors 21st century castle managed english_heritage tourist attraction receiving visitors heritage agency considers finest examples post medieval defensive fort country history 16th 17th centuries construction castle built consequence international tensions england france final years reign king henry viii traditionally crown left coastal defences local lords communities taking modest role building maintaining fortifications france empire remained conflict maritime raids common actual invasion england unlikely basic defences based simple towers existed south west sussex coast impressive works north england general fortifications limited scale henry broke order long standing marriage wife catherine catherine aunt took personal insult resulted france empire declaring alliance henry pope encouraging countries attack england invasion england appeared certain response henry issued order called device giving instructions defence realm time invasion construction forts english coastline stretch water known mouth important anchorage serving shipping arriving atlantic mediterranean small gun tower called built overlooking entrance plans protect anchorage additional castles event constructed castle positioned able provide overlapping fire water prominent member local gentry probably oversaw construction built land appointed captain castle cost construct initial operation controlled castle decades son grandson continuing turn captain captains frequently argued legal dispute broke rights search incoming shipping castles argued traditional right admiralty eventually issued compromise proposing castles share searching traffic lasting peace france initial invasion threat passed spanish threat south west england war broke result defensive constructed north west castle protect attack land additional gun battery facing installed alongside levels garrison varied considerably period garrison men mustered men reportedly guarded soldiers spanish threat continued raiding parties destroyed family home spanish ships attacked towns coast spanish fleet men set assault invade england prevented landing bad weather failed attack caused considerable concern inside government informed castle sufficient prevent spanish landing coast subsequent review carried sir sir sir recommended castle defences significantly extended military engineer paul constructed italian styled ring earthworks stone ditch original castle team local workers costing week wages early england peace neglected reportedly garrison pay years forcing gather shoreline food nonetheless new italian styled gatehouse added castle probably war spain broke new defensive line artillery built peninsula english civil war restoration civil war broke king charles parliament south west england held growing town strategically important supply route continent formed base royalist piracy english channel war turned favour preparations shelter winter surrounding fortifications improved event charles stayed castle briefly early shortly isles march entered cornwall substantial army royalist positions england fallen surrendered immediately approached continued hold defended soldiers command sir determined hold announced die surrender parliamentary hammond directed bombardment castle land captain flotilla ships blockaded sea preventing fresh supplies arriving garrison defences supported artillery fire royalist warship deliberately run aground north castle produce additional gun platform july food begun run short garrison unsuccessfully attempted break sea acquire supplies agreed honourable surrender august survivors left fort days later ill penultimate royalist fortification hold war parliament maintained garrison castle cut levels armed forces country soldiers lost posts offered months pay month pay offered garrison led colonel seized visiting parliamentary commissioners refused leave castle additional pay granted fearing wider uprising parliament negotiated end confrontation paying garrison offering fresh employment smaller reliable garrison installed castle radical restoration king charles_ii throne royalist sir new captain castle fears invasion continued additional gun battery constructed crab south east main fortification end century new guard barracks gate constructed probably constructed france 18th 19th centuries castle continued use 18th 19th centuries command successive captains operating partnership colonel carried inspection fortification finding condition noting body fort having years neglected condition collapsed easily scaled ditches filled little remedy castle extensively interior redesigned rebuilt castle guns replaced incorporating new pounder cannons american revolutionary war france allied revolutionaries causing war britain break napoleonic wars followed period important military depot crown purchased castle land family reinforced fortress deal fresh threat invasion government installed guns built new gun position called half moon battery outside 16th century walls defences reinforced new barracks buildings built inside fortress peak castle equipped artillery pieces new volunteer unit artillery formed support forts harbour carrying training guns deploying cornwall end napoleonic wars neglected guns buildings fell ruin old post captain castle abolished fortification commanded conventional military appointment 1850s renewed fears french invasion led investment new artillery castle nineteen pounder guns installed continued important harbour particularly royal_navy new concerns france emerged operated minefield laid jointly controlled new pounder quick firing guns supported machine guns close defence assigned castle deal emerging threat enemy torpedo boats 20th 21st centuries regiment royal garrison artillery took manning castle new barracks built house signal station constructed old coordinate operations shipping 16th century alongside demolished castle reinforced territorial soldiers world war additional defences constructed continued defend harbour training purposes war continued training gunners 16th century buildings placed fortification artillery removed castle rearmed beginning second world war twin pounder guns longer range artillery installed trenches dug protection new buildings added site 16th century fort headquarters managed artillery area new radar controlled inch guns followed played important role supporting day invasion france preparations invasion gun batteries defend german boats war initially training castle obsolete decommissioned site placed opened visitors ministry focused attention 16th century castle modern buildings destroyed barracks youth heritage agency english_heritage took control castle placed greater priority conservation modern features extensive work carried castle 1990s fortifications open new facilities visitors accompanied archaeological surveys excavations 2000s sergeant mess house converted holiday cottages 21st century castle managed english_heritage tourist attraction receiving visitors protected law grade listed building scheduled monument architecture castle located end peninsula overlooking sea includes original 16th century device fort surrounded ring outer defences based later adapted 18th 19th 20th centuries gun batteries located closer shore heritage agency considers finest examples post medieval defensive fort country demonstrating long history different defensive approaches english_heritage describes site finest surviving examples coast fortress england gatehouse castle located western dates classical facade mid-19th century stone bridge reaching external ditch built stone protective ditches angular provide overlapping fire innovative design england constructed north gatehouse holding quick firing gun battery quick firing guns dating underground magazines converted battery plotting room second world war south gun battery built comprises fixed line gun south east corner gun battery originally held disappearing gun designed pivot steel shield fired built approach proved unsuccessful gun removed remains rare survival type weapon pig pound protect southern western parts range artillery anti aircraft guns defences including 19th century 20th century pieces field gun inch cwt anti aircraft gun pounder inner castle heart castle 16th century fortification built combination granite rubble comprises circular surrounded gun platform entered bridge metre thick walls inside octagonal basement originally kitchen cellar castle ground floor initially designed gun room complete gun altered initial construction project form living accommodation garrison instead gun room occupies floor seven gun dressed appear 16th century roof seven gun turret gun platform sides total gun storey dates second half 16th century rooms level linked spiral staircase originally house captain castle entrance guarded roof designed stone bridge stretches ditch protects castle dates originally protected rectangular gatehouse demolished start 20th century rest interior fortress times occupied range different military buildings demolished form large parade ground surviving buildings barracks located north parade ground built hold soldiers man rooms alongside barracks originally use senior non commissioned officers dating napoleonic wars guard barracks form early example form military architecture england buildings survived include 19th century field train shed 18th century gunpowder magazine converted shelter gunners external defences defensive positions positioned outside main castle south reached underground passage half moon battery constructed redesigned gun houses inch guns dating second world war held team soldiers south near waterline shaped gun position dating altered adapted form larger fortification covering point late 16th century built rubble exterior turret survive intact shoreline north east crab set defences originating 16th century intended prevent amphibious landing extensively
Pendennis Castle