Tilbury Fort - Sunday 19th October 2014
On Sunday we visited the old fort at Tilbury.
To Get there follow the Dock signed off the A13 and then it is "Brown signed" to the fort.
It is looked after by
English Heritage
We arrived at just after 10.00 in the morning and we were the first visitors and had the place to our selves for the first half hour. Because it was quiet the staff in the shop were willing to stop and chat and were very knowlageble about the area.
They do have audio guides but we chose not to take them and wounder unaided. As you see from the photos it was a bright if breezy Autumn morning.
I do find that some of these audio guides are a little long winded!
So The Fort was originally built by Henry VIII in 1540 and was visited by Queen Elizabeth I in 1588 before the Spanish Armada was found in the Channel.
The fort as it now is configured was built by Charles II in 1670 to a design of Sir Bernard de Gomme a Dutch Architect.
The site Plan On the River wall outside the main gate.
The Water Gate
This is now the main entrance to the Fort there is and inscription to Charles II and above
it is an empty plinth and niche which probably at on time had a lifesized statue of Charles himself.
Ancient & Modern
As you walk through the Water Gate and look to your right there is a row of cannons (WW II)on the bank looking down the river towards the Meadway.
But someone in the 50's built a Power Station on the banks of the Thames!
The Chapel
Used as a Opps room during the war.
The Parade Ground
In front the offers quarters, to the left the base for what was the ranks quarters partially flooded), and far left the gunpowder magazine.
This Moat
A view from the West corner across the Moat the the next corner. You can tell that this was a very easy fort to defend form attackers.
The Guard House
The Guardhouse and the Chapel above it.
Tilbury Power Station
Forget the power station, In the foreground is the base to the ranks lodgings, to the left in the Gunpowder Magazine and on the far side is the Officers Quarters.
The Moat & Gravesend
Lift Bridge - Outer Moat
The Landward approach was protected by a series of moats and narrow walkways and lift/Draw bridges.
Some Dutch influence here in the design!
Lift Bridge - Inner Moat
Lift Bridge - Inner Moat
Magazines and Shell Stores
19th Century stores in the North East corner of site.
River Thames
View across the Thames towards the Meadway from the Battlements.
20th Century guns
Across the back of the early 20th century gun emplacement.
20th Century guns
20th Century guns
Looking down the barrel of a gun!
20th Century guns
20th Century guns
18th Century Gunpowder Magazine
The Parade Ground
The Parade Ground
In all well worth a visit. There is a small museum of war time memorabilia in the Officers quarters but it is what
I like most about English Heritage sites there is little adornment and you get the or the real place and not the manufactured
one that some one else thinks it should have.
If you visit i home that you enjoy it as much.
