Monument record TQ 77 SE 237 - Site of First redoubt, Hoo

A redoubt is visible on aerial photographs dating to 1944 but it is not clear if the site dates to the First or Second World War (1,2)

A First World War redoubt or fieldwork, centred at TQ 7536 7340, is visible as earthworks on aerial photographs and has been mapped as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project. The site is a roughly oval earthwork mound with a sunken interior, enclosed by outer banks with additional linear outworks to the east. The mound, whose dimensions are 54.2m by 50.7m overall, is situated on Deangate Ridge roughly 285m west of the perimeter of Lodge Hill Ordnance Depot (Monument 1077634) and 270m north of the Chattenden Magazine enclosure (Monument 1481790). (3-6)

The feature was probably associated with military training in the area around Chattenden Barracks, and is one of several earthwork enclosures or redoubts noted on a War Department map of Lodge Hill field defences, 1914. An annotation dated September 1915 describes it as a redoubt. Other similar sites noted on the War Department map are Monuments 1546098, 1546125, 1546157, 1546168. (7)

<1> English Heritage, 2013, Hoo Peninsula, Kent. Hoo Peninsula Historic Landscape Project (Bibliographic reference). SKE31432.

<2> Historic England, 2012, National Mapping Programme survey: Hoo Peninsula (Digital archive). SKE32442.

<3> USAAF?, 1944, NMR US/7GR/LOC348 3062 27-MAY-1944 (Photograph). SKE55978.

<4> RAF, 1947, NMR RAF/CPE/UK/1923 4084 16-JAN-1947 (Photograph). SKE56107.

<5> RAF, 1952, NMR RAF/58/856 3045 24-APR-1952 (Photograph). SKE56108.

<6> Public Record Office, 1914, PRO: WO 78/4400 Chatham Field Defences 8.11.1914 (Archive). SKE58402.