Before my recent visit to Portsmouth, I was researching the town, I could not find any hint of fortification of the town but I found reference to a 17th century gate. This is the gate.
A very fine, elegant, yet simple, gate it is. On the wall beside it there is a plaque that explains the gate had been resited.
This shows the 17th century bastioned fortification was in four layers.
First - an enceinte comprising of five bastions and a demi-bastion and a curtain wall. The river frontage used the existing Tudor defences and casemated artillery positions, the Round Tower and the Square Tower.
Second - four ravelins or demi-lunes and a counterguard in front of King's Bastion.
Third - a continuous covered way.
Fourth - two free standing demi-lunes and a free standing redoubt.
Most of the work was demolished by the Victorians but the King's Bastion was still standing, so I went for a look. these are some photos.
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| Looking South along the curtain to the right face of the King's Bastion |
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| On King's Bastion looking North along the curtain |
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| Angle of the bastion and the moat |
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| Erosion, showing the earth construction of the bastion |
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| Bastion gorge |
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| Bricked-up bastion magazine |
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| Tunnel under the curtain wall to the sally-port |
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| Overlooking Spur Redoubt |
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| Right flank of the bastion |
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| Shoulder |
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| On the remains of Spur Redoubt, looking back to the sally-port |
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| Tudor riverside casemated artillery position |
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