A bastille was a temporary wooden tower, mounted on wheels, constructed to enable besiegers safety to approach a town or fort which they wished to attack. Later the term bastille was applied to a small castle fortified with turrets and a blockhouse. In France, the term bastille meant a strong castle or fort. The most famous French bastille was the one at Paris known simply as The Bastille. Research Bastille
A blockhouse is a defensible post, usually rectangular, constructed to give shelter and protection to its garrison, consisting of possibly thirty men.
Blockhouses were generally constructed from locally available materials, and provided with loop holes for all-round fire. They often had an upper story projecting over the lower, or so placed upon it as to have its sides make an angle with the sides of the lower story, thus enabling the defenders to fire downward, and in all directions.
Blockhouses were formerly much used in America and Germany and proved very useful during the South African wars. Research Blockhouse
Tilbury Fort is a fort in the Thamesestuary, on the coast of Essex. It stands in marshy flats south-west of Tilbury, opposite Gravesend. The blockhouse was built by Henry VIII, and housed the 17,000 strong army levied against the coming of the Spanish Armada. Under Charles II Tilbury Fort became a regular fort with strong bastions and armament designed by Sir Bernard de Gomme. Research Tilbury Fort
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Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Bastille
