Summary

Site of a series of fortifications dating back to the time of Henry VIII (see 1756, 1757).

Full description

Site of a series of fortifications dating back to the time of Henry VIII (see 1756, 1757). In 1795 an open, earthen battery was built to take 4 32 pounder guns. In 1855 it was demolished, to be replaced by a 2nd open battery for 17 guns. In 1860 a Royal Commission report called for a casemated fort to be built. After several alterations to the plan this was built as a curved casemate face with defensible, bastioned barracks closing the gap at the rear. The armament consisted of 11" and 12.5" rifled muzzle-loading guns (RMLs) in casemates and 9" RMLs in an open battery at the up-river end. Seen from within the fort is 2-storied, the lower tier containing magazines and storehouses. They are protected at the front by 19ft of granite, overlaid by an earth slope or glacis. The next floor contains the casemates which have iron shields and granite facings, with vaulted brick, concrete and asphalt roofs. The barracks have loop-holed iron windows and loop-holes in the walls. The latter are of Kentish ragstone on the outside and brick on the inside. A moat surrounded the front (river) face. Its efficiency was offset by the retention of 2 river walls to guard against flooding. They were guarded by bastions or caponiers. 3 machine-guns were issued to these in 1890. The main armament had been installed by 1880. In 1892 a 10" breech-loading (BL) gun was installed, probably to test it before installation at East Tilbury battery (see 1823). By the early 1890's 4 6" BLs had been installed on the roof. Alternate casemates were filled to support them. Some of the down-river casemates were blocked up and an earth glacis piled up to shield level. <1> 1895-1905, concrete emplacements for 8 BLs were provided-4 6" facing down-river and 4 12 pounder quick-firing guns facing the east bank. Shelters and a fire control position were provided. The concrete pillars rising up from the magazine must have been installed at this time as supports. This source says that the fort was finished in 1873. This source also has proposals for clearance and restoration. <2> According to this source a moat was dug in General Gordon's time, it also has recommendations for restoration and states that Coalhouse Fort is the only remaining example of a 19th century fortification. <3> According to this source a small Napoleonic fort was built in 1799, armed with 4 24 pounder guns. It was disarmed and abandoned after Waterloo and was later to be enlarged for 17 32 pounder guns from 1847. This work was finished in 1855. In 1861 work on the present Coalhouse fort was begun, to be finished in 1874 The last of the biggest guns were delivered in 1877. Within a short time both guns and fort were obsolete, however. It is unknown when the RMLs were removed. Soon after 1900 a dry ditch in front of the fort was filled and an earthen bank thrown up against the face of the casemates for better protection and possibly to render the fort less conspicuous. By then 4 6" BL and 4 12 pounder quick-firing guns had been installed on the roof. Long-range guns were installed further down the estuary. Concrete columns were installed as supports for the 4 6" BLs at the north end of the fort. <4> In 1983 work began on restoration and clearing of the fort. In 1984 restoration carried out on the 1861 `rock asphalt water membrane' roof and the concrete facade of 1903 for the BL gun mountings on the roof. It is thought possible that discarded RML barrels may be found in the dry ditch which is being re-excavated. The parade ground was to be excavated to locate the two previous fort phases of 1799 and 1855. <5> Other refs: <6> <7> <8> AP in record, also large collection of photographs of fort and its features. <9>-<12> <14><15>

Site Assessment = In 1983 Thurrock Local History Society and the Kent Defence Research Group began work on clearing-up and restoring the fort. Early in 1984 an MSC Community Programme was organised to help in this work and the Coalhouse Fort Project was set up. In 1984 work concentrated on repairs to the main battery roof. Stabilisation of the roof buildings was underway, the dry ditch was being re-excavated and it was thought that discarded RML barrels might be found in it. Fitments, hardware and archive material relating to the fort's use were being recovered. The parade ground was to be excavated to locate the 2 previous forts of 1799 and 1855 and a trial trench dug to try to find the Henrician blockhouse which is thought to have been nearer

<1> Hogg, IV, 1974, Coast Defences of England and Wales, 1856-1956, p104 (DESC TEXT). SEX6356.

<2> Smith, VTC and Barnes, DR, 1975, Coalhouse Fort (DESC TEXT). SEX6360.

<3> Thurrock Local History Society, unknown, Coalhouse Fort restoration (DESC TEXT). SEX6363.

<4> Saunders, A, 1985, Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury. 1861 Folly?-1985 Museum, Vol 20, No 1, pp3-7 (DESC TEXT). SEX6364.

<5> Priddy, DA, 1986, Excavations in Essex, 1983-4 Part of Essex Archaeology and History Volume 16, p.127, Catton, JPJ (EXCAV REPORT). SEX25466.

<6> unknown, 1960 0nwards, SMR form unknown (DESC TEXT). SEX4.

<7> Ordnance Survey, unknown, OS cards, TQ67NE19, 1979 (RECORD SHEET/FORM). SEX52658.

<8> Bennett, D, 1977, Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945, Extracts in file OA9 relating to Essex (DESC TEXT). SEX6365.

<9> unknown, 1975, 217, Date 1975:1 (AP). SEX6366.

<10> Hedges, John D, 1976, TQ67-051, 41 frames (Photograph). SEX6367.

<11> Hedges, John D, unknown, TQ67-051, 4 frames (Photograph). SEX6368.

<12> unknown, unknown, TQ67-051, 14 frames (Photograph). SEX6369.

<13> HBMC, 1985, DOE Scheduled Ancient Monuments, Part 4 (Scheduling record). SEX105.

<14> unknown, 1984, TQ67-051, 6 frames (Photograph). SEX6370.

<15> unknown, unknown, Coalhouse Fort (AP). SEX66711.

<16> Saunders, Helen, 2009, EX09/04/031, 034-042 (AP (Digital)). SEX69373.

<17> Smith, Joanna, 2007, East Tilbury, Essex - Historic Area Appraisal, mentioned in appraisal (DESC TEXT). SEX70042.

<18> Saunders, Helen, 2016, EX16/03/054-066 (AP (Digital)). SEX73037.

<19> Saunders, Helen, 2018, EX18/06/071-075 (AP (Digital)). SEX73694.

<20> Saunders, Helen, 2022, EX22/07/032-033 (AP (Digital)). SEX74862.

Monument Types

• BARRACKS (C19, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• BATTERY (C18, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• BATTERY (C19, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• BATTERY (C19, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• BATTERY (C19-C20, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• FORT (C19, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• MAGAZINE (C19, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• MOAT (C19, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Events

• PART EXCAV by Catton, JPJ, 1984 (Ref: ?)
• Field visit to 1760 by Paterson, H, FMW on NOV-198 (Ref: FMW)
• Field visit to 1760 by Chant, K, FMW on OCT-1983 (Ref: FMW)
• Field visit to 1760 by Hedges, JD, CAO on JUN-1976 (Ref: ?)

Protected Status

• Historic Environment Character Zone: Thames Gateway 117_1
• Historic Environment Character Zone: Thames Gateway 110_2
• Historic Environment Character Area: Thames Gateway 110
• Scheduled Monument () 1013943: Coalhouse Fort battery and artillery defences
• Historic Environment Character Zone: Thames Gateway 97_2
• Historic Environment Character Area: Thames Gateway 97
• Historic Environment Character Zone: Thames Gateway 117_2
• Historic Environment Character Area: Thames Gateway 3
• Historic Environment Character Area: Thames Gateway 117

Sources and further reading

Related records

Images

Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council
Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council	Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Thurrock © Essex County Council

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