| Summary : Fort, initially recommended by the Royal Commission Report of 1860, begun in 1879 and completed in 1889, the largest of the forts of the 'Chatham Ring', and the last fixed fortification built in England. With the development of high explosive shells during this period, the original design was heavily revised, and exposed structures such as caponiers were excluded due to their vulnerability. The fort was never provided with fixed armament. In 1902, only 7 machine guns were installed. The fort was officially abandoned as a defensive site in around 1906-7, although it remained garrisoned and was in use as an ammunition store and played some part in World War II as an anti-aircraft emplacement and observation post. It was sold in 1963 and used as a tyre depot with tyres filling in the moat. Following a fire in 1976 the site became derelict but was brought back into use as office accommodation. The fort is polygonal in plan surrounded by a deep ditch revetted in concrete. The ditch could be entirely swept by fire from counterscarp galleries in the three forward angles and by other positions flanking the entrance. The tunnels leading to the counterscarp galleries were providd with facilities for countermining in the event of a siege. The entrance was protected by a drawbridge. The entrance led to a long wide tunnel which divided the fort into two nearly equal parts, and whose cover acted as a traverse to give some protection against enfilade fire. There are traces of a World War I rectangular pillbox and anti-aircraft emplacements of World War II origin. The site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. For the other forts in the Chatham Ring, please see Fort Darland, 416048; the redoubt associated with Fort Twydall, 416066; Fort Luton, 416042, and Fort Bridgewoods, 416318. |
More information : (Centred TQ 751 651) Fort Horsted [NAT] (1)
TQ 756 656 Fort Horstead [sic], Chatham (erroneously sited, grid reference should be TQ 751 651). (2)
Constructed after 1860 and completed in 1889. Fort Horsted was the largest of the Chatham 'ring forts' which were built in a half-ring two miles outside Chatham. In plan a regular pentagon with tunnels and counterscarp galleries at three courses. Some brickwork, but mostly cement centred. Some details such as iron railings survive. These forts were out of date, due to improved gunnery, almost as soon as they were built. The last major work of traditional fortifications in the country. Overall condition fair, now used as a car depot. Scheduled. (3-5)
The fort was garrisoned by the Royal Ordnance Corps and the Royal Artillery following an exercise in 1907 to test the strength of the dockyard defences. It is believed the fort was used as an ammunition depot, but during World War II a light anti-aircraft emplacement was installed and it was used as an observation post during the Battle of Britain.
The site was sold in 1963 to undergo a succession of owners and tenants before becoming a tyre depot 1972-1976. Tyres were used to infill the moat and a catastrophic fire at the depot in 1976 led to the site becoming increasingly derelict. It was sold at auction in 1997, the site cleared and the fort brought back into use as business accommodation from 2001 onwards. (6) |