Device Forts

E316158

Device Forts were a series of coastal artillery fortifications built by Henry VIII in the 16th century to defend England against potential seaborne invasions.

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All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
Device Forts canonical 2

Statements (61)

Predicate Object
instanceOf 16th-century fortification
Tudor fortification
coastal artillery fortification system
alsoKnownAs Henrician castles
King Henry VIII’s Device Forts
surface form: Henrician forts

King Henry VIII’s Device Forts
surface form: King Henry VIII’s Device forts
architecturalFeature bastions for flanking fire
embrasures for artillery
gun platforms for heavy cannon
low thick walls designed to resist cannon fire
moats and earthworks at some sites
architecturalStyle artillery fort
authority Tudor dynasty
surface form: Tudor monarchy
builder Henry VIII of England
country Kingdom of England
followedBy later bastioned trace fortifications in England
garrisonedBy local militia
royal artillery
hasCause Tudor reformation foreign policy crisis
break with the Papacy
threat of invasion from France
threat of invasion from the Holy Roman Empire
heritageDesignation several sites designated as Scheduled Monuments
several sites listed as Grade I or Grade II* buildings
inception 1539
influencedBy continental artillery fortification design
legalBasis Statute of Proclamations 1539
surface form: King’s Device of 1539
locatedAlong English Channel
Irish Sea coast
surface form: Irish Sea coast of England

North Sea coast
surface form: North Sea coast of England
locatedOn coast of England
militaryBranch English Army
notableWork Calshot Castle
Camber Castle
Deal Castle
Hurst Castle
Netley
surface form: Netley Castle

Pendennis Castle
Portland Castle
Sandown Castle
surface form: Sandown Castle (Kent)

Sandsfoot Castle
Southsea Castle
St Andrews Castle
surface form: St Andrew’s Castle (Fife) – English-held Device-style fort in Scotland

St Mawes Castle
Walmer Castle
Calshot Castle
surface form: Yarmouth Castle
partOf Tudor coastal defence system
patron Henry VIII of England
purpose artillery platform
coastal defence
defence against seaborne invasion
significantPlace Bristol Channel
Humber Estuary
Solent
Thames Estuary
status many surviving as heritage sites
timePeriod 16th century
usedFor mounting heavy guns to command sea approaches
protecting anchorages and estuaries
protecting key harbours
protecting naval dockyards

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Walmer Castle partOf Device Forts
Calshot Castle partOf Device Forts