Tilbury Fort

Tilbury Fort stands on the north bank of the River Thames in Essex. It began in the 1530s as a small blockhouse built for Henry VIII to guard London from seaborne attack. The fort was strengthened during the Spanish Armada scare of 1588 and again in the 1640s when Parliament held it during the Civil War. In 1670 Sir Bernard de Gomme redesigned it as a star-shaped artillery fort with angular bastions and water-filled moats. The fort’s position at the first narrow point of the Thames made it a key point for controlling traffic into the capital. The fort’s military importance changed over the centuries. It stored gunpowder in the 18th century and added new batteries during the Napoleonic Wars. By the 19th century it became a depot for heavy artillery and later a logistical hub in the First World War. Historians regard its 17th-century defences as the best surviving example of their kind in Britain. The fort also holds the only surviving early 18th-century gunpowder magazines in the country. Visitors today see the restored 17th-century star-shaped fort with its angular bastions and water-filled moats. The only remaining early 18th-century gunpowder magazines are open to view. The site includes the original blockhouse foundations and later artillery positions. Views stretch across the Thames towards the marshes and distant shipping. The fort’s long military past is visible in its earthworks and gun emplacements.