Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Site of a Gunpowder works and chemical explosives factory, Cliffe Marshes. Established in 1892 as a gunpowder works but subsequently developed as a cordite factory in the early 20th century. The site was closed in the 1920s. A number of earthworks and building remains are still vivisble at the site.

Monument Types

• GUNPOWDER WORKS (Post Medieval - 1892 AD to 1900 AD)
• EXPLOSIVES FACTORY (Post Medieval to Modern - 1900 AD to 1921 AD)

Full description

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Subject of comprehensive archaeological survey and analysis of the factory remains by English Heritage in 2010-2011, undertaken as part of the wider Hoo Peninsula Historic Landscape Project (14-15). The site is a former chemical explosives factory covering approximately 128 hectares in the north-west corner of the Hoo Peninsula, Medway. From the report: "Initially, Hay, Merricks & Co set up a small-scale gunpowder storage facility here in 1892. Then in 1898, the site was acquired by Curtis's & Harvey Ltd who quickly established a new chemical explosives factory. The works grew rapidly, and during the First World War it became a government-controlled establishment manufacturing a range of propellant and balsting explosives with a primary focus on producing naval cordite. It was a short-lived enterprise, closing around 1920 due to post-war reduction in demand for munitions. The site is on land owned by the Port of London Authority and managed by tenant farmers".

Explosives depot. Photographs (5-13). An array of concrete buildings with no doors or roofs. In good condition. (3).

Established by Hay Merricks & Co as gunpowder works c1892. Subsequently developed as cordite factory early 1900s by Curtis's and Harvey Ltd. Closed 1920s. Extensive brick and earthwork remains. (1)(2). The works are extensive, there are building ruins scattered over a wide area and a number of small u-shaped earthworks visible. (3)

This feature is recorded in the English Heritage Historic Area Assessment for Cliffe parish. The report states: "The Edwardian era saw the arrival of another industry. In 1900 Curtis's and Harvey Limited established a factory for High Explosives (cordite) on Cliffe Marshes, east of Lower Hope Point. Erected on ground that had originally been acquired by Hay, Merrick and Company and with a nitro-glycerine factory directly modelled on the plant at Waltham Abbey, it developed rapidly soon becoming 'one of the largest and most completely equipped in the Kingdom' and by 1909 'possessing nearly a mile of frontage on the river with two jetties and a loading wharf'…Near Lower Hope Point are the gridded arrangement of now roofless explosive storage buildings and other structures of the Curtis and Harvey works. " (4)

RCHME, 1995, Thames Gateway: Recording Historic Buildings And Landscapes On The Thames Estuary (Unpublished document). SKE17329.

<1> Eve, D., 1999, A guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Kent, G10 (Monograph). SWX9293.

<2> Cocroft, Wayne, 1995, The munitions industry, includes photo (Article in monograph). SWX9357.

<3> Wessex Archaeology, 2005, North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey: Phase ll: Field Assessment Year Two Report (Unpublished document). SWX12323.

<4> historic england, 2014, Hoo Peninsula Outline Historic Area Assessment: Cliffe and Cliffe Woods Parish. Research Report 2014-54 (Bibliographic reference). SKE31591.

<5> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10276.

<6> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10275.

<7> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10259.

<8> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10258.

<9> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10245.

<10> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10244.

<11> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9827.

<12> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9779.

<13> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9778.

<14> English Heritage, 2013, Curtis's and Harvey Ltd Explosives Factory, Cliffe and Cliffe Woods, Medway. Archaeological Survey and Analysis of the Factory Remains Volume 1 of 2. (Bibliographic reference). SKE31730.

<15> English Heritage, 2013, Curtis's and Harvey Ltd Explosives Factory, Cliffe and Cliffe Woods, Medway. Archaeological Survey and Analysis of the Factory Remains Volume 2 of 2. (Bibliographic reference). SKE31442.

Sources and further reading

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