Tilbury Fort

• 1530s-1540s: The first permanent defence was designed and erected by James Nedeham and Christopher Morice who were overseen by an additional three men. Captain Francis Grant supervised the structure and, once complete, it was garrisoned by four gunners, two soldiers, and a porter.
• 1588: Queen Elizabeth I visited the fort and gave a powerful speech to the armed forces at the nearby army camp.
• 1642: A Parliamentarian military governor commanded the fort during the First Civil War.
• 1651: A garrison of three officers and 66 soldiers occupied the fort.
• 1665-1685:  Sir Bernard de Gomme enlarged the fort. Employed were over 250 men to carry out the work.
• 1745: Over 250 Highlanders were held as prisoners of war at Tilbury Fort after the Jacobite Rising.
• 1772: Soldiers and officers continued to occupy the site.
• 1830: Over 150 soldiers and 15 officers occupied Tilbury Fort, despite the poor living conditions at the time.
• 1868: Captain Charles Gorden added stronger gun positions.
• WWI-WWII: Nearly 300 soldiers lived at the site during the wars.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/siteassets/home/visit/places-to-visit/tilbury-fort/history/plan-of-tilbury-fort-1710.jpg 

General Layout

The River Thames was a strategic location for Henry VIII when he ordered the construction of his coastal defences. On the south side of the river, he erected blockhouses in Tilbury, and others were established on the opposite side of the river. On the Tilbury side, the blockhouses were the first permanent defences on the site. It wouldn’t take on its modern-day shape until the 1680s when the forts along the coast were renovated and refortified.

Original Layout

Tilbury Fort boasted inner and outer defences to protect the fort from attack by land. Additionally, it allowed the garrison to assault enemy forces on the water.

The entrance to the fort was accessed from the north and entered through a redan. Supplementary fortification in the form of a redoubt also defended this entrance. Using the redan, visitors could access the outer defences of Tilbury Fort by crossing a causeway.

Outer Defences

The outer defences included numerous protections, including outer and inner moats filled with water (supplied by the River Thames). Although the inner moat was quite shallow, it was incredibly wide, measuring 50 metres (164 feet) across. The inner and outer moats had ramparts between them for separation and additional defence. These ramparts also provided protection for the walkway beneath them.

A sliding gate managed the moat’s water levels. It sat in the southwestern corner of the fort. When the weather was near freezing, the rivers were drained using the gate to prevent enemies from crossing the frozen water.

Bastions sit at the northwest and northeast corners of the fort. The eastern and western defences also include the projection of spurs which once acted as cannon mounts.

Those within the fort would cross a wooden bridge to access the nearby island (ravelin). This ravelin connected to the inner defences via another wooden bridge and boasted additional protections with a pair of drawbridges.

The ravelin was an important part of the outer defences, as it provided physical protection from enemy fire that targeted the fort’s entrance to the inner defences. Additionally, anyone who passed the outer defences could be fired upon from this island.

There are gun positions on the western and eastern ends of the River Thames, all of which were erected in the 18th century. In between each gun placement is a quay for the delivery of provisions and supplies. During World War I, a railway was also used.

Inner Defences

The inner defences of Tilbury Fort are laid out in a star-shape. There are four bastions that sit around a parade ground.

Entering from the southern side of the fort required passing through the Water Gate. This 17th-century gatehouse stands two-storeys tall and boasts elaborate stonework carvings of 17th-century weaponry. Historians believe that this gatehouse likely acted as the master gunner’s accommodations.

Most of the inner defensive works consisted of the parade ground. It stretched across one hectare (2.5 acres) of land. This space was raised in the 17th century and once again in the 19th century, which brought it to the current height at which it stands today.

At the southwestern end of the inner defences, there is a bastion and curtain defence. These were constructed around the 17th century. However, they were not equipped to hold modern guns, so they were completely rebuilt around the 20th century. After rebuilding the bastion, new emplacements were created and various tunnels led to a magazine underground.

The officers’ quarters are also located within Tilbury Fort’s inner defences. There were numerous 18th century houses here, along with stables that housed the officer’s horses. Today, the stables are the location of the memorabilia collection.

On the northern end of the parade grounds is a pair of 18th-century magazines. These were significantly changed during the 19th century. Behind the two magazines is the Dead House, a gatehouse located at the Landport Gate.

The inner defences also include a guardhouse and chapel, both dating from around the 17th century.

Modern Layout

Over the centuries, Tilbury Fort has undergone numerous renovations and reinforcements.

The banks of the water moats have been refortified many times to prevent further erosion. Tilbury Fort’s 18th-century guns within its outer defences have also suffered from considerable damage, likely due to their position facing the River Thames.

Today, the soldiers’ barracks (that once stood across from the officers’ quarters) no longer stand. They were destroyed after World War II. Visitors can still see the foundation, however.

Additionally, guests can view the remains of train tracks from the narrow-gauge railway that once carried supplies to the fortress during World War I.

The bridge leading to the ravelin and the one connecting the ravelin with the inner defences are both replicas of the originals.

Today, there are four large weapons on display, dating between 1898 and 1942.