This new Red Guide to Yarmouth Castle – the last of the coastal artillery forts built by Henry VIII – includes new reconstruction drawings and draws on fresh research to give a fascinating account of the castle and its role in the defence of the country. It was begun in 1547 to defend the Isle of Wight, which had strategic value from the Middle Ages until modern times. It guarded the western Solent, the seaborne passage to Portsmouth and Southampton, and is the oldest surviving English castle with an angle bastion – a key element of a defensive system that dominated fortress design for over 250 years. The castle garrison varied, depending on the perceived threat at the time. During the English Civil Wars (1642–51) and the Commonwealth (1649–60), the uncertain loyalties of the islanders caused Parliament to station a large garrison at Yarmouth. The castle was maintained as a fortress until the 1850s, providing barracks for the British Army until the 1890s. It was designated an Ancient Monument in 1913 and restored in the 1950s, giving visitors an insight into its critical role in defending England from invasion.
- Published: August 2024
- ISBN: 978 1 910907 50 4
- Paperback
- 19 x 22 cm
- 32 pages
| MPN | 9781910907504 |
|---|---|
| Author | Paul Pattison |
| GTIN | 9781910907504 |
| Size | 19 x 22 cm |
| Return period | 30 days |
