Post by Leofwine on Nov 10, 2010 18:06:17 GMT
The Caponier/Couvre Porte between King's Bastion and Prince of Wales Bastion on the Chatham Lines was a favourite playground when I was a kid. In those days it was not fenced off and was known to the locals as "Cat's Eyes".
Some people who did not know it back then wonder why we called it that?
It got the name from the fact that the curved tops of some bricked up arches were left open, the light coming in giving the impression of eyes. The effect was further enhanced by a couple of bricks placed in the opening, a common ocurrence in those days. It was a great spot for playing 'war' - becoming anything from a WW2 bunker to a medieval castle in our very active imaginations!
Here is the room that gave it the name as it is today:
The arches have long since been fully bricked up, but I have attempted to give an idea of the effect in this reconstruction.
And a lighter version, so you can actually see the way it all worked.
Larger versions here: www.flickr.com/photos/22124479@N03/5164683406/in/set-72157624494063426/
Some people who did not know it back then wonder why we called it that?
It got the name from the fact that the curved tops of some bricked up arches were left open, the light coming in giving the impression of eyes. The effect was further enhanced by a couple of bricks placed in the opening, a common ocurrence in those days. It was a great spot for playing 'war' - becoming anything from a WW2 bunker to a medieval castle in our very active imaginations!
Here is the room that gave it the name as it is today:
The arches have long since been fully bricked up, but I have attempted to give an idea of the effect in this reconstruction.
And a lighter version, so you can actually see the way it all worked.
Larger versions here: www.flickr.com/photos/22124479@N03/5164683406/in/set-72157624494063426/
