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FORTRESS STUDY GROUP
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Casemate 77 |
Upper Heyford Airfield, Oxford. Casemate 70, p8, noted that news from the US indicated that it may become a Cold War museum. A report from Bicester Advertising brings the story up to date; bought for £24m by developers and earmarked for 1000 homes, house building plans could be 'seriously hampered' if the 1300acre site is designated as a conservation site. 'The bid to designate RAF Upper Heyford as a Conservation Area followed a move last year to schedule several key Cold War structures at the base as monuments.
RAF Upper Heyford. (Bicester Advertising). |
Conservation status will take this further, protecting all buildings on the base whether they are scheduled or not, as well as the surrounding landscape of open spaces, fences, runways and access roads'. The words of a local councillor are significant "We've taken the view that you can't just save the runways or the bunkers without preserving their setting as well". We couldn't agree more - context and setting are a vital part of heritage.
From Margaret Pinsent.
Fort Warden, Isle of Wight; Sunday Times, 18 June 2006, included an ad for apartments at £350,000, sea views, private grounds etc. No mention of the fort itself (is any of it actually left?), but a photo of the view, which basically consists of Hurst Castle and not much else (this being what caught my eye).
West Gate, Canterbury; Kentish Gazette, 15 June 2006, mentions discussions on its future. The city council have become concerned about the damage from vehicles (buses and lorries in particular) passing through and scraping the sides of the gateway. They are looking into various possibilities (few details, other than perhaps pedestrianisation with a one-way system for the traffic), but predictably the local bus company, Stage Coach, are thoroughly unhappy at this possible interference in their activities, and point out that not only are their drivers trained to avoid hitting the sides of the gate (after all, it must cost a fair bit in maintenance for the buses), but that the buses are fitted with hinged mirrors to minimise the risk of contact. A difficult one, balancing the needs of the local economy with those of 'heritage' (which, after all, is what said economy is largely based on).
Thames estuary sea forts; The Independent, 10 June 2006, has a two page feature in the travel section entitled 'Action Stations'. Uncharacteristically substantial by the standards of that paper (although the main illustration is a completely irrelevant view of people sunbathing outside beach huts) there are plenty of details of the history of the forts, how to view them today, and possible future plans (DTI thinking of demolishing them, 'Project Redsand' planning on preserving one). Notes that with the arrival of the Kentish Flats wind farm that bit of sea is now something of a tourist destination in its own right.
From Steve Dent.
Association de Sauvegarde de la Batteries des Mèdes.
The Association has been working for a number of years to promote and preserve the battery of Mèdes on the island of Porquerolles, part of the C20th coastal artillery defences of the Toulon naval base (see Casemate 74). The Association has now received a serious setback in that the French Ministry of the Marine has withdrawn its agreement to their continued work on the site, this despite the fact that walkers can, apparently, walk at will about the island and the site. Work off the site will continue with the imminent setting up of a website detailing the work of ASBM, the history of the battery, and the history and techniques of camouflage (the battery was imaginatively camouflaged between the wars by the naval artist Pierre Gatier). Further promotion is to be achieved by the production of a scale model of the battery and by a new edition of Frédéric Saffroy's book Les Canons de Porquerolles by Editions Serre of Nice (see the review of the first edition in Casemate 67). On a more positive note, the Conservatoire du Littoral will be taking over responsibility for the coastline of the island and they do support the work of the ASBM. The fight goes on....
From Bernard Lowry.
Pillbox, Broomfield, Chelmsford;
Want to make an offer? so many uses for the humble pillbox.......good to see not all fortifications are hard to put to new uses! From Paul Holford. |
Jersey; Daily Telegraph 'Luxury Travel', 17 June 2006. The reporter enthuses over Fort Leicester, dating from the C16th, 'a spacious stronghold of 1836' with a German searchlight position from WWII, now a new holiday home as part of a tourism initiative in which up to 30 historic forts and towers etc will be restored for leisure use. The difficulties of reconciling the needs of a modern self-catering holiday with military design are pointed out; the fort sleeps eight but there is only one bathroom, not en suite, but the huge advantages of the fort for a family holiday soon became apparent.
La Corbière Radio Tower, 'a severe six-storey German observation post will soon be a smart holiday let with panoramic views of SW Jersey'.
From Alastair Fyfe.
Peschiera, Italy; Cronache Castellane No 161, 2006 reports that there are plans to sell off Forte di Monte Tesoro, Forte Pietole, Rivoli Veronese and half of Peschiera; la Caserna della Rocca, ex-Hapsberg Army Hospital and Forte Ardietti (Lagerwerfe n.6). The reporter suggests that the 'forts are considered less important than an old chest of drawers gathering dust in an attic' and that the relevant legislation (quoted) is entirely incomprehensible.
See www.magicoveneto.it and www.peschieradelgarda.org.
From Peter Presford.
Fort Montgomery, Rouses Point, Lake Champlain, NY was advertised for sale on Ebay; $10m was sought (it was sold on 5 June 2006 for US $5,000,310 after 69 bids. Ed). The fort is right on the US/Canada border, on a 7.5 acre island at the end of a 700ft causeway, and the total area for sale was 366 acres.
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The site clearly has huge potential for development, and planning conditions appear remarkably light. Built in 1844-1870 the Third System fort is one of nine forts in the US to have a moat or wet ditch; constructed from marble block quarried in Bane, Vermont, with internal arches finished in brick veneer, only about half of the original exterior walls remain after the rest was sold and crushed for use as hardcore on a nearby bridge.
Peter Presford.
(Jim Millard, local historian and author, has real concerns for the fate of the fort, which is on the National Register of Historic Sites; however that designation provides no protection whatsoever. His concerns can be read online and in his book Fort Montgomery Through the Years. He is writing a second, much more comprehensive volume about all of the fortifications in the Rouses Point area. He long ago decided the most important role he could play was to accurately inform the public about this site, something he is trying hard to do. Ed)
http://www.historiclakes.org
Railroad Redoubt, Vicksburg. The Civil War News carries good tidings from where one of the Military Park's major Confederate defensive positions has recently been restored. It was one of the nine critical fortifications round Vicksburg, guarding the railroad, a vital lifeline. Initial work returned about 4.5acres fronting the Redoubt to its appearance during the 1863 campaign and siege. Complete restoration includes a further 5acres. The Redoubt was the only position breached and briefly held by Union troops.
Cape Girardeau, SE Missouri, one of the most heavily fortified sites in the US during the Civil War, has positive news too, where Fort D, the only fort remaining of four Union works, is to have interpretive signs. It is in a 3 acre municipal park, but people are reckoned to be generally ignorant of its history and significance, though with providential foresight it was bought in 1936 by the local chapter of the American Legion in order to preserve it. Cape Giradeau occupies the first high ground north of the confluence of the Ohio and Mississipi to defend against land or river attack.
Chattahoochee River Line, Georgia. History Under Siege, on Endangered Civil War Battlefields, reports threats by transport proposals and, particularly, housing development, at the Line, 'Revolutionary in its design and formidable in its strength' and virtually vanished. As late as the 1950s the whole length was walkable but immense suburban development has devastated the site...destroyed by property owners fearing that historic details would impede their plans.
The Circle Forts, 68 of which defended Washington, DC, are nearly extinct; largely absorbed by growing neighbourhoods, none is 'preserved as thoroughly as their rich heritage deserves'.
Fort Morgan, Alabama, has fallen into disrepair, and erosion and recent storm damage have taken a significant toll on the fort. Staff numbers are much reduced, minimal maintenance can be carried out and many heritage tourism programs have been completely cancelled. Substantial state funding will be required. Parts are closed to the public due to safety concerns and the site's future management is uncertain.
Forts Jackson and St Philip, at New Orleans, one either side of the Mississippi, kept a powerful Union flotilla at bay for a week, but 'the immense damage caused by Hurricane Katrina has compromised the structural integrity of these sites to the point that it is entirely uncertain when some will be safe for the public'. If ever, one suspects. Sat in a bowl between two levees, Ft Jackson was underwater for six weeks and many cracks have appeared in the fort's outer wall. Ft St Philip fared somewhat better and it seems the salt water killed off vegetation that had overwhelmed the fort and the surge cleared out much of the river sand that covered the site.
Fort Pike, just outside the city, was so badly battered that it will remain closed indefinitely.
Camden. Historical markers have been placed at the sites of five of the nine earthworks (1863/64) started by Confederate Gen Sterling Price to protect against Union invasion at the Arkansas Battlefield. Forts Lookout, Pickett, Simmons, Southerland and Diamond were marked with plaques; four other sites could not be located.
Fort Boone Civil War Battle Site. The State Journal, Frankfort, Kentucky, 30 March 2006 carries a report of a volunteer effort to clear up the site, cutting back vegetation and removing trash. Initiated by Charles Bogart, park interpreter, there is a colour photo of him looking busy and he reports that 35 people turned up and cleared up enough brush and fallen trees to create a 9m square pile of woodchips. The work was the combined effort of several organizations, local and national
The Fort Pickens Area, Pensacola, Florida has reopened after being closed since Hurricane Ivan in 2004. There is no road access and services are limited.
Fort Pocohontas, Charles City, Va, is claimed to be 'one of the best preserved fort sites in America'. Built in 1864 the earthen fort saw action the same year. Volunteers have constructed a 20ft tower for demonstrations and training and rebuilt the east gun bastion.
At Triune, Tenn, some extensive and very well preserved Civil War Federal earthworks have been discovered. They include redoubts, artillery positions, powder magazines, trenches and rifle pits. Their existence is now threatened by the expanding town, and with 7 private owners involved and land prices soaring, preservation will be a difficult task.
Charles Bogart.
