(War of the Reapers) that brought Catalonia into conflict with King Philip IV of Spain. Faced with a far superior army, the population of Cambrils withstood a siege that lasted three days, before they finally capitulated. Contrary to the agreed terms of surrender, the occupying troops killed a large number of the defenders and destroyed most of the town walls. This is one of the most important events in the town’s history and it is commemorated every year by a ceremony held in the Plaça del Setge (Siege Square), in front of the ruins of the walls.
From the 18th century the population began to increase, as can be seen from the establishment of workers’ neighbourhoods outside the walled area. At the same time, the coastal area, now the port quarter of Cambrils, was also occupied, thanks to the construction of the Port or Moors’ Tower. For centuries living on the seashore had been fraught with danger, due to constant pirate attacks. Fishermen and others who did not have time to flee to the shelter of the walled town were often killed or kidnapped. Other small mediaeval villages such as Mas d’en Bisbe, Vilagrassa and Vilafortuny, the latter of which had its own castle and church, also suffered the ravages of the pirates, which impeded the growth of their populations, a situation that did not change until they were annexed to the municipality of Cambrils in the 19th century. Over time, and with the danger largely a thing of the past, the families of fishermen and seafarers began to build their houses around the Port or Moors’ Tower, thus founding the quarter that, a century later, would see the construction of the harbour, which was finished in the mid 20th century and is now the best known symbol of Cambrils.
In addition to the production of flour in the towns numerous water-driven mills, from the 19th century on small industries began to develop. These included
