The Fortress Awakens...

by Victoria

Welcome back to our first post of 2017 where the phrase ‘New Year, New Me’ is rather fitting for the Redoubt Fortress. As we have touched upon in posts last year, we are going through some changes here at Heritage Eastbourne this winter, as time is peeled back and the Redoubt is stripped down to its bare bones for the first time in around 40 years, when it was first turned into a museum.  

It's all looking calm and quiet from the outside at the minute, but inside its all hands on deck!

Our aim is to try and recreate an experience of what the building would have been like in Napoleonic times when it was first built, and through the Georgian, Edwardian and Victorian periods, whilst celebrating the beauty and complexity of the building itself. As the team is busy behind the scenes carrying out this transformation we wanted to give you a hint of some of the things we’ve uncovered in the process so far, and some of the things you can expect to see when we reopen March 20^th.

First of all; fireplaces. Fireplaces create atmosphere, not only are they a way of bringing us closer to how life would have been for soldiers stationed here, who had a fire in every room, but it also helps create a welcoming air for visitors today, a little light in an otherwise cold and sometimes dark building.


One of the main objectives this winter was to try and bring some of these fireplaces back to life and fortunately, although we have had to contend with 200 year old chimneys, we have succeeded in installing a stove in Casemate 6. There is no doubt its a welcome heat source for staff (!) but it also adds a cosy, authentic feel to the building and is a beautiful addition to the Redoubt. 

The newly installed chimney for Casemate 6 now sits proudly on the
gun platform looking out to sea.

Furthermore, in our process of stripping the walls of all the boards and plaster which has built up over the years, we have revealed all of the fireplaces, and even one we didn’t know existed in Casemate 7. This one in fact, is of different shape and size to the majority of the others, something which was unexpected and is still proving to be a bit of a puzzle. For all of us here at Heritage Eastbourne, these little discoveries reiterate time and time again that the learning experience is never over, and we always have new things to uncover when we work in a building like this.

Kasey standing by our newly discovered fireplace, as you can see compared to the one above, its taller and more rounded in shape, with a ledge built into it inside.

Other things being discovered from the stripping of the walls are odd markings and holes which were once places for soldiers’ beds, the scars of pipes, ventilation holes and kitchen equipment, and even signs of original or temporary walls which have been built and knocked down long ago. Being able to carry out this process enables us to further explore the building and fill gaps in our existing knowledge and timeline of its alterations throughout its history, which when understood more can ultimately be shared with you.

The walls in Casemate 10 have revealed a number of mysterious marks and holes, and this strange looking line of bricks which shows an adapted, or missing wall.

One area where we will be rebuilding some of these past modifications is in Casemate 11, where the magazine room will be reconstructed for the first time. This includes getting rid of our current staff room, which was created out of the old shifting room, and returning it to its original purpose (don’t worry staff and volunteers will be re-homed!). For many, including myself, this room is one of the most interesting architecturally and whilst it is included on many of our volunteers building tours, and there has previously been some information there, recreating it will help show how it actually worked practically, and highlight the precautionary infrastructure which was put in place 200 years ago to ensure the safety of the men who were working and living here.

The current sign outside the shifting room and magazine, which will be brought further to life this year.

When the Redoubt reopens in March, visitors will too be able to discover and understand all which the building has to offer. Additionally, the stories of those who lived their lives here at one time or another will be told through the eyes of the people themselves. These will include one of the men responsible for the construction of many of the defences built along the south east coast, soldiers who were stationed here at various times and some of their families, who too had to endure the cold, somewhat harsh reality of living at the Redoubt.

This year we hope to entice people who already know the Redoubt Fortress, to come and see it in a new light, as well as attracting those who have never been before to explore something new. We’re all excited to share what’s to come with our visitors, and those far away who cannot visit of course, and hope you will join us in experiencing the next stage of this fascinating building; it’s latest reincarnation going back to basics and taking us back to where it all began.