Magazine establishment at TQ 7537 7298. 5 magazines surrounded by a Dacoit Fence. Not accessible,in military occupation. Dates from L. 1860' s[sic]. Small 11-sided concrete pillbox, possibly a 1 person sentry post, located at central inward angle of S. boundary fence of Chattenden Magazine Establishment. (WW1) (1)

In 1871 a committee was formed to report on a site for a proposed powder magazine in the Medway area. The site was to hold 40,000 barrels of powder in five magazines in normal circumstances but significantly more in an emergency. The magazines were completed in 1865 using convict labour. They were connected to the Chattenden Barracks which had been completed three years earlier by a railway that ran south to Upnor. A second tramway ran east to Hoo. The new magazines were provided with a barrack for 8 officers and 120 soldiers. The five magazines were built of brick and contained travelling cranes. Each was divided in two by a spine wall and had two porches and a sentry room. They survive today (2)

The magazines at Chattenden were constructed between 1875 and 1878 and five magazines were built by using convict labour. The magazines were named Magazine A, B, C, D and E. The 'B' Magazine is known as the torpedo shed and was altered for this use. Each magazine could contain 4000 barrels each and are smaller versions to those constructed at Bull Point. The walls were located to prevent views into the depot and after subsidence during the 1880s buttresses were added to the magazines and walls. (1-2)

The Chattenden magazine complex has been mapped from aerial photographs as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project. The site is centred at TQ 75342 72952 and aligned along a south west to north east axis (from TQ 7511 7272 to TQ 7556 7312). It is 602.5m long and 182m wide, occupying an area of just over 10.5 hectares. The magazines were enclosed by a wall with a gate at each end, and each magazine was protected by a substantial earthwork traverse to shelter it from view and protect against explosions. Support buildings, including a police office, shifting house, stables (centred around TQ 7512 7279) and stores (TQ 7525 7300 and TQ 7541 7308) were constructed within the enclosure. The complex was served by an internal tramway which ran the length of the enclosure and linked to the Chattenden and Upnor Railway (Monument 1545587). A terrace of police houses, recorded separately, was provided adjacent to the east end of the magazine enclosure.

Second World War gas decontamination buildings were constructed at TQ 7518 7293, TQ 7524 7298, TQ 7540 7306 and TQ 7551 7311. A circular pond, probably a reservoir or Emergency Water Supply, was added just outside the south west gate (TQ 7514 7270) some time before June 1942. (4-6)

The Chattenden magazine complex was connected to Chattenden Barracks (Monument 1545088) and Upnor, and later to the Lodge Hill Armament Depot (Monument 1077634), by the Chattenden and Upnor Railway. During the First World War, pillboxes or sentry posts were added near each of the two gates, and during the Second World War small gun emplacements and air raid shelters were constructed. These features have all been recorded separately.

English Heritage, 2000, The Medway Magazines: The Development of the Buildings (Unpublished document). SKE29243.

CgMs Consulting, 2009, Built heritage basline (sic) assessment in respect of Chattenden Barracks and Lodge Hill, Medway, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE32455.

<1> Not applicable, SMR Kent uncatalogued index entry, Pers. comm. V. Smith - KCC, 27/5/94. (Miscellaneous Material). SKE6440.

<2> English Heritage, 2013, Hoo Peninsula, Kent. Hoo Peninsula Historic Landscape Project (Bibliographic reference). SKE31432.

<3> Historic England, 2012, National Mapping Programme survey: Hoo Peninsula (Digital archive). SKE32442.

<4> David Evans, 01/01/06, Arming the Fleet (Bibliographic reference). SKE14452.

<5> Jeremy Lake, 2003, Thematic survey of the ordnance yards and magazine depots: Summary Report, Thematic Listing Programme (Bibliographic reference). SKE56302.

<6> Unknown, 1942, NMR RAF/HLA/617 6-100 20-JUN-1942 (Photograph). SKE56303.