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Monument details
| HER Number: | TQ 76 NE 65 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Site of Fort Darland, near Gillingham |
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Summary
19th century artillery fort, dating from 1899. Part of the Chatham Ring Fortresses, this example was constructed with a standard dry moat with counterscarp galleries and a drawbridge operated by a steam winch. From surviving plans it appears that on completion the fort armament was to consist of eight rifled muzzle loading guns. The fort was completed about 1900 and by 1910 had become obsolete as a viable form of defence due to gunnery improvements. Demolished in the 1960's only several earthen banks and one solitary chunk of concrete remain.
| Grid Reference: | TQ 7817 6657 |
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| Map Sheet: | TQ76NE |
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| Parish: | ROCHESTER & CHATHAM, MEDWAY, KENT |
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Monument Types
- FORT (Post Medieval to Modern - 1899 AD to 1960 AD? (between))
Full description
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[TQ 782 666] Fort Darland. Concrete fort of 1890. (1)
The fort was constructed with a standard dry moat with counterscarp galleries and a drawbridge operated by a steam winch. From surviving plans it appears that on completion the fort armament was to consist of eight rifled muzzle loading guns. The fort was completed about 1900 and by 1910 had become obsolete as a viable form of defence and was demolished in the 1960s and a housing estate constructed on the site. Several earthen banks and one solitary chunk of concrete remain (formally part of the rear casements). (2)
Also described as a machine-gun fort [3].
Part of the Chatham Ring Fortress (TQ 76 NE 398).
<1> A Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 13 (D Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE32798.
<2> The Medway Forts: A Short Guide 1976 16-17 (K R Gulvin) (OS Card Reference). SKE50426.
<3> Victor Smith and Ron Crowdy, 1994, From Tudor Rose to Mushroom Cloud. The Gazetter of Defence Heritage Sites in the Kentish Part of the Thames Gateway. An Overview (Unpublished document). SKE12458.
<4> Kent Defence Research Group, c. 1993, Kent Defence Research Group 'Fort Logs' (Unpublished document). SKE52251.
Sources and further reading
| Cross-ref.
| Source description | | <1>XY | OS Card Reference: A Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 13 (D Bennett). [Mapped feature: #22067 fort, ] |
| <2> | OS Card Reference: The Medway Forts: A Short Guide 1976 16-17 (K R Gulvin). |
| <3> | Unpublished document: Victor Smith and Ron Crowdy. 1994. From Tudor Rose to Mushroom Cloud. The Gazetter of Defence Heritage Sites in the Kentish Part of the Thames Gateway. An Overview. |
| <4> | Unpublished document: Kent Defence Research Group. c. 1993. Kent Defence Research Group 'Fort Logs'. |
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