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 129 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Sheerness Harbour Defences: Martello Battery |
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Summary
Two circular concrete towers each with a 4.7" quick firing gun in an open emplacement and an elevated fire control building. Both towers had external shell recesses and lower shelters reached by ladders and catwalks (noloner surviving) and a large circular column to take the weight of the guns. It is believd that they were buolt circular to disguise them as Martello Towers. Additionally they have traces of disruptive camouflage paint. During WW2 the eastern tower had an observation post built over the gun emplacement and the western one had a EXDO (Extended Defence Officer) post commanding the controlled minefield in the Medway. The EXDO
| Grid Reference: | TQ 9136 7535 |
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| Map Sheet: | TQ97NW |
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| Parish: | SHEERNESS, SWALE, KENT |
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Monument Types
- COASTAL BATTERY (Abandoned 1946?, Modern - 1913 AD to 2050 AD (at some time))
- OBSERVATION POST (abandoned 1945?, Modern - 1913 AD to 2050 AD (at some time))
| Protected Status: | Scheduled Monument 1471141: Sheerness Defences: C19 gun emplacements and magazines and early-C20 gun towers, fire-control building and pillbox on the Centre Bastion |
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Full description
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On Centre Bastion. Two circular Martello-like concrete towers, each for a 4.7-in. QF gun. Later additions to their roofs converting them to minefield control points. In between a rectangular BOP tower, apparently disguised to look like a house. Main structure sound but access steps removed (1) and site identified in context with other defence sites in Kent (2), site photographs (3,4).
Two circular concrete towers each with a 4.7" quick firing gun in an open emplacement and an elevated fire control building. Both towers had external shell recesses and lower shelters reached by ladders and catwalks (noloner surviving) and a large circular column to take the weight of the guns. It is believd that they were buolt circular to disguise them as Martello Towers. Additionally they have traces of disruptive camouflage paint. During WW2 the eastern tower had an observation post built over the gun emplacement and the western one had a EXDO (Extended Defence Officer) post commanding the controlled minefield in the Medway. The EXDO also had a brick chimney stack on its southern side. Possibly further camouflage(5).
<1> Victor Smith and Ron Crowdy, Thames Gateway Assesment: Gazetteer of Defence Sites (Index). SKE6445.
<2> Kent County Council, 1999, Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites, KD193 (Index). SWX11828.
<3> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10227.
<4> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9556.
<5> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments in England, 1995, Sheerness: The Dockyard, Defences and Blue Town (Unpublished document). SWX6974.
Sources and further reading
| Cross-ref.
| Source description | | <1> | Index: Victor Smith and Ron Crowdy. Thames Gateway Assesment: Gazetteer of Defence Sites. |
| <2> | Index: Kent County Council. 1999. Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites. KD193. |
| <3> | Photograph (Print): 1998. Photograph. 3338. print. |
| <4> | Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4023. print. |
| <5> | Unpublished document: Royal Commission on Historic Monuments in England. 1995. Sheerness: The Dockyard, Defences and Blue Town. |
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