Garrison Point Fort

Garrison Point Fort stands at the tip of the Garrison Point peninsula in Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. It is a two-tiered casemated artillery fort built in the 1860s to guard the point where the River Medway meets the Thames. The fort replaced earlier defences dating back to the mid-16th century, including a blockhouse built in 1547 and a bastion fort designed by Bernard de Gomme after the 1667 Raid on the Medway. It was one of around 70 forts constructed around the English coast following a Royal Commission report in 1860. The fort’s semi-circular design with granite-faced casemates and thick brick walls made it one of only two of its kind built in the 1860s. The fort was built to counter the threat of a French naval invasion during a period of rising tensions between Britain and France. Its position allowed it to cover the Thames, a vital trade route and home to key naval installations such as Woolwich Arsenal and Purfleet magazines. The fort was initially armed with large rifled muzzle loader guns, later upgraded to breech-loading models, and even featured a Brennan torpedo station added in 1884. It remained in use through both world wars, with its final armament including twin 6-pounder guns to defend against fast-moving attackers. Visitors to the fort find a semi-circular structure with two gun floors, each lined with casemates that once held heavy artillery. The parade ground sits at the centre, surrounded by defensible buildings with loopholes for close defence. Traces remain of the Brennan torpedo station and its launching rails, though much of the interior has been stripped out. The fort’s roof and upper levels are derelict, with a later radar control tower added in 1962. Despite its decay, the fort’s massive brick walls and original fittings still stand as part of Sheerness’s wider defensive system.