The Pendennis Castle is one of the best coastal forts Henry VIII (1509-1547). It was in use for over 400 years, until WWII, a scale battery was in use here, guarding the convoy trains for the risky Atlantic transport that had gathered behind the estuary.
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Pendennis Castle |
In 1538, Henry VIII, had been put in a precarious situation by his divorce from Catherine of Aragon and the subsequent break with the Roman Church. However, England was facing a French and Dutch invasion, making the fortifications of the channel coast ports an urgent task. The coastal fortresses built as a result reflect the warlike innovations of the time, the powerful heavy weapons.
Although the fortifications are different, they are all characterized by their massive structure and low construction. The firearm sites are arranged on several levels and therefore have a wide range of fire.
The construction of Pendennis Castle began in 1540 and at the same time a smaller fortress, Little Dennis, was built near the beach. Initially, the fortress consisted of a two-story circular tower with kitchens in the basement; but shortly after a polygonal cannon with a protective wall and a quarter for the fortress commander was added a few years later.
In 1596, England was again in danger of invasion; this time it was the second Spanish armada that prompted Queen Elizabeth I to provide the castle with bastions and defensive walls.
When the castle was besieged 50 years later, during the civil war by parliamentary troops, these fortifications turned out to be very useful.
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| Pendennis Castle |
Later, in March 1646, the royalists had lost the war and King Charles I was already a prisoner of the Scots. The Pendennis commander, John Arundel, however, did not surrender and kept the castle for another 5 months until the crew starved to death.
Unlike many other fortresses, the fortifications were preserved after the conquest, as Falmouth Bay was an important anchorage for the English fleet. For the next 300 years, the plants have always been modernized with state-of-the-art equipment.
In 1894, for example, new, more powerful weapons were established. And at the beginning of the 20th century a large block of barracks was built that today houses the youth hostel, a restaurant and an educational center.
Today, Pendennis Castle is managed by the English Heritage.