It is time, perhaps, to bring these pages on the coast defences of England to a conclusion, and to review very briefly the chief features of the subject. There are one or two points which stand out with peculiar prominence.
Firstly we are struck by the origin, development, deterioration, and final degradation in the methods of coast defence. In the middle and later periods of the Roman occupation of Britain the fortresses for coast defence were built in massive masonry. In the earliest examples reliance was placed alone in mass and weight, and no attempt was made to protect the wall by enfilading. In the works built later on this defect was made good. Protecting bastions gave opportunity of attacking the invaders in flank, and so protecting the wall. In the Norman period, again, and particularly in its earlier part massive keeps of great strength and height were erected for the dual purpose of resisting the enemy by passive force, and of keeping a good look-out over the surrounding country or sea, by means of which movements of the enemy could be discovered.
In the periods which followed, notably from the reign of Henry II to that of Richard II, the art of building castles was constantly being improved and developed. Defensive works were adapted to the new forms and methods of offence.
From that time downward to the first few years of the nineteenth century there is every indication of decadence. The defences became more and more feeble. The “chain,” as a serious bar to the progress of unwelcome shipping, reached its most absurd and ridiculous stage during the time of the Dutch invasion of the Medway in 1667, when the “Chain of Chatham” was snapped without the slightest difficulty by the Dutch ships.
As a matter of fact, as we have seen, the coast blockhouses erected by Henry VIII have never taken any important part in the defence of our coasts. This is mainly due, not to their inefficiency, but to the absence of opportunity. The same is true of the Martello towers erected along our south-eastern coast when invasion from France, under Napoleon I, was anticipated.
History is full of accounts of attempted invasions of England. Up to the period of the Norman Conquest, wellnigh every attempt to land on our shores was eventually, although not always immediately, successful. But from the Norman Conquest downward England has always been strong enough to protect herself from enemies who have attempted to make a permanent settlement. This is due to the fact that whilst we have not neglected our coast defences, we have not relied on castles, forts, and other forms of land defence. We have maintained a powerful fleet of war vessels as our first line of defence. Experience has made it abundantly clear that coast defence without the aid of a powerful navy would be inadequate to protect our shores. Our navy is, and always must be, the first and most important of our defences, and its special business is not to act as a simple coastguard force, but to seek out the enemy’s naval force where-ever it may be, and destroy it.
INDEX
Alfred, King, [79]-[80].
Anderida, [17], [58]-[62].
Angles, The, [75].
Anglo-Saxon buildings, [77]-[78].
Anglo-Saxon burhs, [88]-[89].
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, [75], [84]-[85].
Anglo-Saxon defensive works, [79].
Anglo-Saxon mints, [77].
Appledore, [191].
Arckcliffe Bulwark, [131].
Armitage, Mrs. E. S., [89].
Avon, River (Bristol), [153].
[Bamborough] Castle, [98]-[99].
Barbican (Gate), Sandwich, [126]-[127].
Bayeux tapestry, [89].
Beblowe Fort (Holy Island), [188].
Benfleet, Danish settlement at, [82].
Berwick-upon-Tweed, [97]-[98].
Black Bulwark, [132], [161].
Booms, [210]-[211].
Boulogne, [5].
Bradwell-on-Sea, [25]-[28].
[Bramber] Castle, [141]-[142].
Bramber, Danish settlement at, [82].
Brancaster, [17], [19]-[22].
Branodunum, [17], [19]-[22].
Breding-Stone, Dover, [201].
Brighton, defences and gates of, [181]-[182].
British fastnesses, [5].
Broadstairs, [122].
[Burgh] Castle, [19], [23]-[25].
Caesar, [5].
Caesar’s Camp, [3]-[5].
[Calshot] (“Calste Point”) Castle, [169]-[186].
[Camber] Castle, [119], [177]-[178].
Camps, prehistoric, [3]-[5].
Canterbury, [70].
Canterbury, Anglo-Saxon coins, [77].
[Canterbury] Castle, [119]-[122].
Carausius, [14].
[Cardiff] Castle, [67]-[69].
[Carlisle] Castle, [154]-[156].
Carr-nase, [70].
Castles. See
[Bamborough],
[Bramber],
[Burgh],
[Calshot],
[Camber],
[Canterbury],
[Cardiff],
[Carlisle],
[Colchester],
[Cowling],
[Deal],
[Dover],
[Dunstanburgh],
[Folkestone],
[Hastings],
[Hurst],
[Lancaster],
[Liverpool],
[Orford],
[Pevensey],
[Porchester],
[Portland],
[Queenborough],
[Rochester],
[Saltwood],
[Sandgate],
[Sandown],
[Sandsfort],
[Sandwich],
[Scarborough],
[Southampton],
[Southsea],
[Tynemouth],
[Walmer],
[Walton],
[Wareham],
[Weymouth],
[Yarmouth] (Little).
Catamarans, [212].
Chains (defensive). See
[Chatham],
[Cowes],
[Fowey],
[Gillingham] Reach,
[Hull],
[Portsmouth],
[Yarmouth] (Great).
Chanctonbury Ring, Sussex, [5].
[Chatham], chain at, [204]-[208].
Chichester, [70].
Cinque Ports, barons of the, [202]-[204].
Cinque Ports, Courts of, [201].
Cinque Ports, Lord Warden of the, [201]-[202].
Cinque Ports, origin and jurisdiction, [196]-[198].
Cinque Ports, privileges of, [200]-[204].
Cinque Ports and the Siege of Calais, [200].
Cinque Ports, The, [196]-[204].
Coast castles and walled towns, [95]-[156].
Coastguard, The, [212]-[214].
Colchester, [70].
[Colchester] Castle, [111]-[113].
Count of the Saxon Shore, [13]-[16].
Court of Brotherhood, [201].
Court of Brotherhood and Guestling, [201].
[Cowling] Castle, [113]-[116].
[Cowes], chain at, [209].
Cowes (West), defences at, [186].
Cumberland (Fort), [185].
Danish incursions, [79]-[85].
Danish raids at Canterbury, London, Rochester, Sandwich, etc., [84].
Danish raiders, [99].
Dartmouth, bulwark at, [165].
Dawson, Mr. Charles, [202].
Deal, [5].
[Deal] Castle, [160], [171]-[173].
Defensive Chains, [204]-[210], [215].
Dover, [6], [42]-[50].
Dover, Anglo-Saxon coins, [77].
Dover, bulwarks at, [166].
[Dover] Castle, [127]-[133], [169].
Dover, Straits of, [13].
Dubris, [42]-[50].
[Dunstanburgh] Castle, [99]-[100].
Earthworks, [3]-[5].
East Mersea, Danish settlement at, [82].
Edward the Confessor, [89].
Edwardian castles, [96]-[97].
England, attempted invasions, [216]-[217].
England, Saxon settlement of, [75]-[80].
English Coast Defences, general conclusions, [214]-[217].
Falmouth, bulwark at, [165].
Fire-ships, [211]-[212].
Fisher Gate, Sandwich, [125]-[126].
[Folkestone] Castle, [133], [166].
Fort Cumberland, [185].
Fowey, bulwark at, [165];
[chain] at, [209]-[210].
Frome, River, [153].
Gariannonum, [19], [23]-[25].
[Gillingham] Reach, chain at, [204]-[207].
Gravelines, fire-ships off, [211].
Gravesend, bulwark at, [165].
“Great Castle,” the, in the Downs, [165].
Gosport, bulwark at, [169].
Harwich, [111].
Hasting, [81].
Hastings, [139]-[141].
Hastings, Battle of, [87].
[Hastings] Castle, [139]-[141].
Haverfield, Professor, [63], [70].
Henry VIII’s blockhouses, inactivity in coast defence, [188]-[189], [215]-[216].
Henry VIII’s blockhouses, influence of gunpowder shown in their plans, [189]-[190].
Henry VIII, coast defences constructed by, [159]-[191].
Higham, bulwark at, [165].
Holy Island, defences of, [188].
Honorius, the Emperor, [17], [61].
Hull, [101]-[102].
[Hull], chain at, [209].
Huntcliffe, [70].
[Hurst] Castle, [183], [185].
Hythe military canal, [191].
Ipswich, [107]-[108].
Jutes, The, [75].
King’s Lynn, [102]-[103].
Lambard, W., on coast defences of Henry VIII, [159]-[160].
[Lancaster] Castle, [153]-[154].
Landguard Fort, [180]-[181].
Lisle, Sir George, [112].
[Liverpool] Castle, [154].
Lucas, Sir Charles, [112].
Lymne, [17], [50]-[58], [77].
Martello Towers, [190]-[191].
Medway Estuary, defences of, [179]-[180].
Mersea, West, [27]-[28].
Navy, origin and province of, [195]-[204], [216]-[217].
Navy, the English, [80].
Navy, “the first line of defence,” [216]-[217].
Navy, under Hubert de Burgh, [130], [198]-[200].
Navy, under King Alfred, [80], [196].
Norman castles built within Roman defences, [90]-[91].
Norman castles, types of, [89]-[90].
Norman coast castles in England, [87]-[91], [96].
Norman fleet, [87].
Norman invasion of England, [86]-[87].
[Orford] Castle, [108]-[111].
Othona, [25]-[28].
Peak, near Robin Hood Bay, [70].
Pevensey, [17], [58]-[62].
[Pevensey] (mediaeval) Castle, [141].
Pharos, at Dover, [45]-[49].
Pharos, at Richborough, [37]-[38].
Pharos, at West Mersea, [26]-[28].
Plymouth, bulwark at, [165].
[Porchester], [17], [62]-[64], [67].
Portland, bulwark at, [165].
[Portland] Castle, [187]-[188].
Portsmouth, [142]-[149], [166].
[Portsmouth], chain at, [145], [208]-[209].
Portsmouth, Tower of, [169].
Portus Itius, [5].
Portus Lemanus, [17], [50]-[58], [77].
Portus Magnus, [62]-[64].
Prehistoric camps, [3]-[5].
[Queenborough ]Castle, [116]-[119].
Reculver, [12], [17], [19], [28]-[35].
Regulbium, [12], [17], [19], [28]-[35].
Richborough, [17], [35]-[42].
[Rochester], [70].
Rochester, Anglo-Saxon coins, [77].
Roman forts, [12], [16]-[71].
Roman invasion, [5]-[13].
Round, Dr. J. H., [89].
Rutupiae, [17], [35]-[42].
Rye, [138], [191].
Rye Castle, [166].
[Saltwood] Castle, [133]-[138].
[Sandgate] Castle, [174]-[177].
Sandown (I. W.) blockhouse, [186].
[Sandown ](Kent) Castle, [160], [171], [174].
[Sandsfort] Castle (Weymouth), [187].
[Sandwich], [122]-[127].
Sandwich, Anglo-Saxon coins, [77].
Sandwich, Anglo-Saxon defences at, [78].
Saxon Shore, Count of the, [13]-[16].
Saxon settlement of England, [75]-[80].
[Scarborough] Castle, [101].
Scottish invasions, [99].
Shoebury, Danish camp, [81]-[83].
Silchester, [76].
Southampton, [149]-[151].
[Southampton] Castle, [151].
South Coast, defences of, [182]-[191].
[Southsea] Castle, [146], [182]-[185].
Staithes, [70].
Straits of Dover, [13].
Swale, River, [117].
Swanscombe, Danish settlement at, [82].
Thames Estuary, defences of, [179]-[180].
Tilbury, bulwark at, [165].
Torne Bay, bulwark at, [165].
[Tynemouth] Priory and Castle, [100]-[101].
Upnor Castle, [179]-[180].
Walled Towns:
Berwick-upon-Tweed, [97]-[98].
Bristol, [152]-[153].
Canterbury, [119]-[122].
Carlisle, [154]-[156].
Colchester, [111]-[113].
Dover, [132].
Harwich, [111].
Hastings, [139]-[141].
Hull, [101]-[102].
Ipswich, [107]-[108].
King’s Lynn, [102]-[103].
Lancaster, [153]-[154].
Portsmouth, [142]-[149].
Rochester, [117].
Rye, [138].
Sandwich, [122]-[127].
Southampton, [149]-[151].
Wareham, [151]-[152].
Winchester, [138].
Yarmouth (Great), [103]-[107].
[Walmer] Castle, [173].
Walmer, early defences of, [161].
[Walton], [25].
[Wareham] Castle, etc., [78], [151]-[152].
Warkworth Castle, [100].
Welsh castles and walled towns, [153].
[Weymouth], or Sandsfort Castle, [187].
White Bulwark, [161].
William, Duke of Normandy, [86].
Winchelsea, [138].
Wolstanbury Camp, Sussex, [5].
Wykeham, William of, [117].
Yarmouth (Great), [103]-[107].
Yarmouth (Great), boom at, [211].
Yarmouth ([Great]), chain at, [209].
[Yarmouth] (Little) Castle, [186]-[187].