The crenellated guardhouses of the 1846 model (''corps de garde crénelés modèle 1846'') were gun-batteries built along the coast of France as the result of a standardisation of coastal-defence redoubts during the reign of

Louis Philippe I Louis Philippe I (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850), nicknamed the Citizen King, was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, the penultimate monarch of France, and the last French monarch to bear the title "King". He abdicated from his throne ...

. This standardisation came as an attempt to complete the defensive chain begun by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

in 1811 with his model towers, left incomplete on his abdication in 1814. A mixed coastal armament commission set up in 1841 defined 3 types of work, known as crenellated guardhouses, crenellated towers and model-redoubt with defensive barracks.Fortifications littorales : les réduits de batterie de côte modèle "1846" ou modifié modèle "1846–1861" et casernes défensives, sur l'inventaire général, http://patrimoine.region-bretagne.fr/main.xsp?execute=show_document&id=MERIMEEIA29002284 , consulté le 16 juin 2011 Along with the construction of the battleship '' La Gloire'', they represent part of a 20-year trend of French naval and coastal re-armament, to which the United Kingdom eventually responded by building its own steam battleship (''

Warrior A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal society, tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, social class, class, or caste. History ...

'') and its own coastal defence chain (the

Palmerston Forts The Palmerston Forts are a group of forts and associated structures around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Ireland. The forts were built during the Victorian period on the recommendations of the 1860 Royal Commission on the Defence of the ...

) during the 1860s. Tour-modele_grand_gouin

Crenellated guardhouses

Around 150 crenellated guardhouses were built.

1

This sub-type accommodated 60 men and 12 cannons.

2

This sub-type could house 40 men and 8 cannons. * Pointe du Grand Gouin,

Camaret-sur-Mer Camaret-sur-Mer (; ) is a commune in the Finistère department in northwestern France, located at the end of Crozon peninsula. Sights Camaret-sur-Mer is home to the '' Tour Vauban'' or ''Tour dorée'' (lit. "Golden Tower"), a historic fortifi ...

* Île de l'Aber,

Crozon Crozon (, ; , , ) is a commune in the department of Finistère and the administrative region of Brittany, northwestern France. As well as the town of Crozon, the village of Morgat is part of the commune. Crozon is located on the Crozon penin ...

* Pointe du Kador,

* Postolonnec,

* Îlette de Kermorvan,

Le Conquet Le Conquet (; ) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. This is the westernmost town of mainland France. Only three island towns—Ouessant, Île-Molène and Ile de Sein—are farther west. Maritime tran ...

* Pointe de Kermorvan,

Pointe Saint-Mathieu The Pointe Saint-Mathieu ( French) or St Matthew Point () is a headland located in the commune of Plougonvelin in Finistere Department in western Brittany, France. Flanked by high cliffs, it was the sight of major Anglo-French naval battles in 1 ...

Plougonvelin Plougonvelin (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Finistère Departments of France, department of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in north-western France. Geography Climate Plougonvelin has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate ...

* Pointe entre Brenterc'h et Illien,

Ploumoguer Ploumoguer (; ) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. Population Inhabitants of Ploumoguer are called in French ''Ploumoguérois''. Notable people * Jean Causeur – 1643–1771, butcher who was sai ...

3

This sub-type could house 20 men and 4 cannons. * Morgat, Rulianec,

* Pointe Sud-ouest,

Île de Batz The Île de Batz (; ) is an island off Roscoff in Brittany, France. Administratively, it is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. Climate Île de Batz has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classificatio ...

* Plage des Blancs Sablons,

* Calgrac'h,

Ouessant Ushant (; , ; , ) is a French island at the southwestern end of the English Channel which marks the westernmost point of metropolitan France. It belongs to Brittany (administrative region), Brittany and in medieval times, Viscounty of Léon, Léon ...

* Loqueltas,

* Bourg,

Roscanvel Roscanvel (; ) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. History List of Mayors Population Inhabitants of Roscanvel are called in French ''Roscanvelistes''. See also * Quélern *Communes of the F ...

Crenellated towers

Square in plan, buildings of this size were slightly pyramidical in shape.

1

2

3

This sub-type housed 20 men and had two

murder hole A murder hole or meurtrière is a hole in the ceiling of a gateway or passageway in a fortification through which the defenders could shoot, throw or pour harmful substances or objects such as rocks, arrows, scalding water, hot sand, quicklime, ...

s sticking out from either side. This sub-type's particular feature was its 4 levels (underground level, two levels of barracks, and a terrace on top).

Model redoubts with defensive barracks

The model-redoubt is a fort built over a defensive barracks. The barracks is vaulted and thus bomb-proof. Sub-type 1 housed 300 men, and sub-type 2 housed 200 men.

References

All in French unless otherwise noted. {{DEFAULTSORT:Crenellated Guardhouse, 1846 Model July Monarchy *