king charles castle king charles castle ruined artillery fort overlooking harbour island isles built protect islands french attack held battery guns accompanying garrison designed prevent enemy vessels entering harbour castle design constructed granite stone gun battery dining room kitchen living accommodation rear additional defensive constructed 17th century design castle unusual period seen river_thames castle design unsatisfactory guns angled fire harbour defences considered vulnerable attack additional probably constructed closer water eventually new fortification star castle built instead neighbouring island main fort isles aftermath english civil war isles held royalist king charles gave castle current islands attacked parliamentary force led sir landed bypassed fort took island royalist defenders blew parts castle left stone appears build newer castle harbour king charles castle house soldiers 18th century described castle passed archaeological excavations carried 21st century site controlled english_heritage open visitors protected law scheduled monument grade listed building history 16th century construction king charles castle built protect isles french attack tensions france grown reign henry_viii war henry initially responded coasts england constructing new artillery forts designed defend longer range cannons common 16th century henry son year old inherited throne facing renewed war france lord protector king appointed brother thomas england lord admiral thomas inspected isles personally concluded vulnerable french invasion result inspection sir lieutenant general ordnance tasked february improving defences islands supported effort shipment lead aid construction money raised dissolution monasteries england building work initially focused island carried direction captain castle need modern defences wanted use work programme increase political influence island castle built programme work positioned high ground castle protect harbour overlooking narrow northern entrance harbour held battery guns accompanying garrison designed prevent enemy vessels entering harbour fell power removal new survey carried captain confirm new fortifications suitably located islands building work isles continued expanding include neighbouring island oak trees dispatched islands early islands lacked suitable sources timber orders given send bows arrows ingredients required gunpowder islands construction teams kept work appears completed crown resources badly stretched decided end expenditure isles total spent improving fortifications islands survey suggested cost garrisons project come total edward successor queen mary intended establish garrison soldiers islands uncertain numbers achieved held title captain referring king charles castle weaknesses soon evident king charles castle built poor location metres sea level guns fire enemy ships harbour angled downwards artillery pieces 16th century fire position fall making castle effective defending small built beneath castle future site castle overlooking harbour sea level compensate weakness concerns castle significant time renting crown commented end century castle defend island harbour height thereof good shot steep downwards complained fortification worst weak form defended partially response problems new star castle constructed island modern positioned design star castle rapidly key defensive site isles 17th century isles supported charles english civil war short period parliamentary control rebelled favour charles appeared believed king charles castle critical defensive point island probably built new defences castle defend attack land possible defences instead date built king engineer period castle given current formed base royalist parliament concerned dutch hostile england counter piracy occupying islands gaining use england parliament sent sir charge naval task force retake islands blake arrived helen pool april set invading island taking harbour old amphibious assault april simply bypassed king charles castle marched south basis taking neighbouring island royalist commander castle retreated castle april defenders blew site left leaving remains parliamentary commander colonel castle stonework appears reused construction new castle beneath king charles castle new fortification sited better position defend harbour charles_ii restored throne sent isles inspect defences recommended repairs carried king charles castle house soldiers 18th 21st centuries crown form leased islands family followed critical castle ruins visit describing work labour expense skill abandonment poor military utility writer commenting end century took similar perspective praising thickness walls noting ill positioned fire harbour unlike replacement lease passed agreed pass properties including castle castle partially excavated coins pottery parts floor battery reconstructed fallen stonework uncovered dig 21st century controlled english_heritage successor ministry open tourists protected scheduled monument grade listed building law architecture buildings king charles castle stone building composed gun battery living quarters west overlooking sea large room originally contained battery guns point initial construction north east gun blocked construction internal chamber gun battery metres metres opened form window battery large room metres metres forming hall kitchen originally use garrison containing fireplace oven room leading metres square north bedroom heated small metres square forms entrance building leading hall castle dressed rubble granite incorporating rocky design north west south west corners places walls survive metres high metres thick average metres tall metres thick opinions vary tall castle built storeys high height gun battery living accommodation single storey construction upper storey gun battery held additional guns castle unusual period design appears somewhat backward particularly comparison nearby fortification harry walls built time castle adopted contemporary design employed closest built henry_viii river_thames earthworks castle surrounded rectangular probably built similar castles stretches away north east castle earth rubble bank metres high metres wide corners ditch metres deep metres wide north east sides line earthworks survives metres south east earthworks bank metres high ditch metres deep lies crest hill possibly defended appears finished probably dates century possibly having built time castle
King Charles's Castle