More information : [TQ 7380 6522] Fort Bridgewoods [NAT] (1)
Fort Bridgewoods is located along the Rochester/Maidstone
Road behind Rochester Airport. The fort forms part of what
was a very important `ring' fortress built to defend the
Naval Dockyard at Chatham during the last century. This
system was built between 1870 and 1900 and was the last
permanent land fortress to be constructed in the United
Kingdom. Until quite recently, Fort Bridgewoods was in
extremely good condition and an excellent example of 19th
century architecture. Since the 1960s, when the fort was
sold off, a steady program of demolition has been carried
over approximately half the area of the fort. (2)
The basic shape of the fort is hexagonal, six sided, with
a dry ditch, the angles of the ditch covered by counter-
scarp gallereies. The fort had two rows of casements, one
in the centre for accomodation and another on the left side
for magazines. There was originally a drabridge over the
moat instead of the present fixed bridge. During WWI the
fort served as barrack accomodation and in 1938 the fort
was fitted out as the Civil Defence headquarters for the
area. In 1942 a large concrete command centre was
constructed on the site of the acvcomodation casements. At
this time the fort also contained Home Guard, Royal Observer
Corps personnel and a light anti-aircraft battery. In 1958
the fort was abandoned as being of no further military use.
(3)
Addiitonal reference. (4) |