Link to printer-friendly page

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

HER Number:TQ 97 NW 119
Type of record:Monument
Name:Brennan Torpedo Station (Site of), Garrison Point Fort, Sheerness

Summary

Torpedo station first built in 1884, but mainly in use between 1890s and 1906. Later observation post were used as machine gun posts. A number of features survive, such as the later observation posts and the slipways for the torpedos, although they are incomplete or heavily damaged by later defensive works.


Grid Reference:TQ 907 755
Map Sheet:TQ97NW
Parish:SHEERNESS, SWALE, KENT

Monument Types

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

References regarding the relation of the site to other defence sites. (1-4).

A testing station for the steam driven Brennan torpedo was built at Garrison Point in 1884. A steam winding engine, powered by a single boiler, was installed in an upper casement fo Garrison Point Fort. In the 1890s a second slipway was built and the station comprised two observation control posts on the western and north-western sides, a workshop and a second steam engine probably to power a search light. A training school was set up at the fort in 1901, but the use of the Brennan torpedo was abandoned in 1906. A number of features remain. The torpedo workshop is well preserved, with remains of turntable and access rail, althought the torpedo rooms with in the fort have been stripped. The tramway and torpedo stores nolonger remain, but one of the torpedo slipways remains (TQ9074075526) in the form of rail stanchions. The other slipway has been built over (TQ 9073775555). On remain so fthe earliest torpedo direction station survives, having been built over by later works, but the three steel observation positions remain in various states of repair. The western post has been destroyed apart form its roof, the north-western heavily damaged by a later WW2 gun emplacement and the north-eastern is complete, but so heavily corroded that it is likely to collaspe in the near future.


<1> Sheerness Defences, Garrison Point Fort and the Indented Lines/ink survey (Graphic material). SKE6431.

<2> Sheerness Defences, Garrison Point Fort and the Indented Lines/overlay (Graphic material). SKE6432.

<3> Sheerness Defences, Garrison Point Fort (Bibliographic reference). SKE6437.

<4> RCHME: Sheerness Defences, Kent (Collection). SKE6533.

<5> Watson-Smyth, M. (ed.), 1993, Deserted Bastions - Historic Naval and Military Architecture (Monograph). SWX9394.

<6> Sheerness Defences, Garrison Point Fort (Bibliographic reference). SKE6437.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>Graphic material: Sheerness Defences, Garrison Point Fort and the Indented Lines/ink survey. PER. PEN.
<2>Graphic material: Sheerness Defences, Garrison Point Fort and the Indented Lines/overlay. PER. PEN.
<3>Bibliographic reference: Sheerness Defences, Garrison Point Fort. PAP. TYP.
<4>Collection: RCHME: Sheerness Defences, Kent.
<5>Monograph: Watson-Smyth, M. (ed.). 1993. Deserted Bastions - Historic Naval and Military Architecture.
<6>Bibliographic reference: Sheerness Defences, Garrison Point Fort. PAP. TYP.

Related records

TQ 97 NW 1084Part of: GARRISON POINT FORT (Listed Building)