Grain Fort was built during the 1860s on the Isle of Grain to protect the mouth of the river Medway. It was constructed with a crescent shaped keep, which formed the casemated barracks and entrance to the fort. A raised earth bank behind this formed the terreplein, which was mounted with Rifled Muzzle Loading guns in large gun pits. The fort was protected by a surrounding dry ditch that was flanked by four caponniers. Guns continued to be mounted on the fort throughout WW1 and WW2, and it finally left army hands in the 1950s. Unfortunately, during the 1960s the fort was demolished, leaving only the underground sections. The site has never been developed, and it is open land, the shape of the gun positions and a wall here and there are the only reminders of this once impressive fort.
unfortunately due to a problem with the AF sensor on my camera the pics have not come out as well as hoped.
All that remains now are two sections of wall and the underground tunnels and main magazine, acces to wich was slightly dodgy to say the least.
The caponiers marked on the pic above would have stuck out into the dry ditch and provided fire along the flanks of the ditch, the caps have long gone and entry is via a whole where number one cap would have been, from here a tunnel leads to an internal drawbridge pit
and then down another tunnel to the main magazine
hoist, to take shells to up to the guns situated directly above
lighting passage wich surrounds the magazine
drawbridge pit in the tunnel to number 2 cap
lighting position for shifting lobby, this is accessed from a small staircase in the lighting passage.
the walls of the tunnels are surprisingly free of graffiti
as I said, pics not the greatest as the demons in my camera have returned.
Cheers, Dave
Thanks for looking
unfortunately due to a problem with the AF sensor on my camera the pics have not come out as well as hoped.
All that remains now are two sections of wall and the underground tunnels and main magazine, acces to wich was slightly dodgy to say the least.
The caponiers marked on the pic above would have stuck out into the dry ditch and provided fire along the flanks of the ditch, the caps have long gone and entry is via a whole where number one cap would have been, from here a tunnel leads to an internal drawbridge pit
and then down another tunnel to the main magazine
hoist, to take shells to up to the guns situated directly above
lighting passage wich surrounds the magazine
drawbridge pit in the tunnel to number 2 cap
lighting position for shifting lobby, this is accessed from a small staircase in the lighting passage.
the walls of the tunnels are surprisingly free of graffiti
as I said, pics not the greatest as the demons in my camera have returned.
Cheers, Dave
Thanks for looking