Henry VIII’s ‘device forts’ What to look out for during a visit to one of the Tudor king’s formidable fortresses and how to tell them apart from other castles Tick the empty boxes as you go! HENRY VIII’S COAT OF ARMS CIRCULAR SHAPE CENTRAL TOWER, WITH Henry VIII wanted to show off his The first device forts were built in a SURROUNDING BASTIONS power by building these gun forts. His coat of circular or part-circular shape so guns could The most common design had a circular arms, carved in stone, was displayed over the be placed in them to fight an attack from tower surrounded by between 3 and 6 main entrance at many of them – so there was any direction. Looking at them today, the bastions (low platforms for powerful guns). no doubt who built them. Pendennis and design of each fort is slightly different, but the Deal, Walmer, Camber, Calshot, Hurst, St St Mawes have the best examples. circular form is clear. Mawes and Pendennis Castles all have these. ROUNDED PARAPETS SMALL, STRONG ENTRANCES LOOKOUT TURRETS Each fort was built to withstand The entrance to any castle or fort The main purpose of the device forts enemy gunfire, with thick stone walls. The is a weak point. The device forts had small, was to defend the coast from enemy ships. parapets (low protective walls) were also well-defended entrances. These usually had a The tops of many forts – St Mawes Castle, strongly made to protect the gunners behind single archway with many defensive barriers: for example – had a little turret containing a them, with rounded tops to deflect incoming strong wooden doors, portcullises and tiny room where a soldier on the lookout for cannon shot over the gunners’ heads. Hurst murder holes. The portcullis at Pendennis approaching ships could take shelter during Castle is a good example. Castle is the original Tudor one. bad weather. LOL! Which of Henry VIII’s wives liked skittles? The second one - Anne Bowling! GUN POSITIONS FIREPLACES The central towers and some bastions In areas away from the guns, the forts had gun positions inside them. These were contain living quarters for the gunners. The built in the thickness of the walls and had forts were very cold in winter and most had vents above them – like chimneys – going up large fireplaces with wide Tudor arches so the through the walls to take gun smoke away men could keep warm. There is also usually a from the gunners, so they didn’t choke. kitchen with a big fireplace for cooking..