The Bell Tower & main Entrance
The bell tower is situated on the wall between the Leerdam and Buuren bastions. It is decorated with "Ijsel‑ stene" (Klompies).
This entrance was built in 1682 replacing the old entrance which faced the sea. Tthe tower was built in 1684 . The original bell which weighs 760 Pounds is still hanging in the tower. The bell was cast in 1697 in Amsterdam by Claude Fremy and is the oldest in South Africa.
The bell could be heard as far as Rondebosch (+/- 10 Km away) when it was tolled on the hour to indicate the time. It was also, used to in indicate danger, as well as to summon residents and soldiers to the Castle for important announcements.
Looking at the Main Gateway from the courtyard, a baroque gable is seen above the entrance. The gable is typically Cape‑Dutch and dates back to the early eighteenth century. A painting of the gable by Lady Anne Barnard (painted between 1797 and 1803) was traced to Britain and the colour scheme of the gable was chosen accordingly.
The relief work is a replica consisting of four basic military elements, which are unusual features in gable decoration namely a flag, a regimental banner, drum, mortar and a pyramid of cannonballs. It is crowned by the helmet of a knight and various weapons of a knight are also shown.