Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Emplacements for 64 pdr rml guns. The outer two, of three, survive on the north-western side.

Monument Types

• BATTERY (Abandoned ?, Post Medieval to Modern - 1870 AD? to 2050 AD (at some time))

Full description

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On parapet of 18th century bastioned trace. Brick and masonry construction (1). For summary of Sheerness defences see (2). Additional site photographs (3-5).

A brick revetment wall originally ran round the perimeter with 64 pounder RML (Rifled Muzzle Loader). The outer two of an original three survive on the north-western side, with granite racer blocks on which the gun moved visible in the section behind the southernmost emplacement. A mound at the southern corner of the revetment was built for a direction finder (of a later date?) which has been surmounted by a pre-cast anti-aircraft light-machine gun.

To the east, three are three 64 pdr emplacements between the later WW2 gun houses (TQ 97 NW 132) and a brick side arms store. Each emplacemtn has a triangular concrete apron on the seaward side andf a concrete platform at a lower level on the landward side. There are small shell recesses andf an iron pivot on which the front gun carriage pivoted. The apron of the western emplacement is overgrwon, but most of the other features surive. (6)

<1> Victor Smith and Ron Crowdy, Thames Gateway Assesment: Gazetteer of Defence Sites (Index). SKE6445.

<2> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments in England, 1995, Sheerness: The Dockyard, Defences and Blue Town (Unpublished document). SWX6974.

<3> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9556.

<4> 1942, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9993.

<5> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10227.

Sources and further reading

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