Monument record TQ 67 SW 5 - Gravesend Blockhouse (Remains of)

Summary

Gravesend Blockhouse was built by Henry VIII on the Thames Estuary in 1539 as part of his chain of coastal defences in response to the threat of invasion. It was one of five blockhouses built along this stretch of the river Thames to defend the approach to London and the dockyards at Woolwich and Deptford; the others being at Tilbury, Higham, Milton and East Tilbury.In the 1780s the eastern gun lines were remodelled and the blockhouse was converted into a magazine. In 1834 the gun lines were levelled and the blockhouse was demolished in 1844. The appearance of the blockhouse is known from a plan by John Romer made in 1715. This shows that the small D-shaped blockhouse had a curved front facing the river, two angled faces on the landward side and a curved bastion on the west side. Some of the ruins of the blockhouse have survived. The western two-thirds of the semi-circular front wall with its gun-ports has been consolidated and is on display. The remainder of the site is under a car park to the east and a road to the south.

Location

Grid reference Centred TQ 6499 7440 (43m by 59m) FCE
Map sheet TQ67SW
Civil Parish GRAVESEND, GRAVESHAM, KENT
County KENT
District GRAVESHAM, KENT

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Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Thompson, D. & Smith, V. (Mrs), 1978, Excavation of the Gravesend Blockhouse 1975 -76 (Article in serial). SKE11861.

Thompson, D. & Smith, V. (Mrs), 1978, Excavation of the Gravesend Blockhouse 1975 -76 (Article in serial). Ske11861.

<1> "Hist. of Gravesend" 1843, 161-3, 509-16 (R.P. Cruden) (OS Card Reference). SKE32640.

<2> Royal Engineers Jour. 23, 1965, 207-16 (A.A. Crookshank) (OS Card Reference). SKE49340.

<3> Map of Tilbury Fort, Gravesend etc., 1778 (T.H. Page) scale 1" = 400 ft. (OS Card Reference). SKE46544.

<4> F1 ASP 14-OCT-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42109.

<5> Arch Cant 89 1974 141-68 plans (V T C Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE35972.

<6> Arch Cant 93 1977 153-77 (D Thompson & V Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE36118.

<7> DOE (IAM) Rec Form 21.5.79 (OS Card Reference). SKE40715.

<8> Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 1977 9 (D Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE43683.

<9> Arch Cant 91 1975 208-209 (VTC Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE36053.

<10> Arch Cant 93 1977 153-177 (D Thompson and V Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE36117.

<11> Arch Cant 89 1974 141-168 (VTC Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE35970.

<12> Thompson, D. G., 1976, The Tudor Blockhouse at the Clarendon Royal Hotel, Gravesend, Kent Arch Rev 45 1975 116-118 (DG Thompson) (Article in serial). SWX7689.

<13> Hist of the King's works 4 2 1982 602-3 (HM Colvin) (OS Card Reference). SKE44033.

<14> Bldgs of Eng West Kent and the Weald 1980 303 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38062.

<15> Post Med Arch 12 1978 109 (DG Thompson and V Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE48540.

<16> Field report for monument TQ 67 SW 5 - October, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3631.

<17> Saunders, Andrew, 1995, Thames fortifications during the 16th to 19th centuries (Article in monograph). SWX9358.

<18> Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit, 1990, Archaeological Evaluation Excavation PLA Offices, Gravesend (Unpublished document). SWX6852.

<19> Smith, V.T.C., 1995, The Gravesend Blockhouse revealed - again! (Article in serial). SWX7647.

<21> Kent County Council, 1999, Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites, KD128 (Index). SWX11828.

<22> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9436.

<23> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9470.

<24> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9417.

<25> Wessex Archaeology, 2005, North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey: Phase ll: Field Assessment Year Two Report (Unpublished document). SWX12323.

<26> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

Sources/Archives (27)

  • --- Article in serial: Thompson, D. & Smith, V. (Mrs). 1978. Excavation of the Gravesend Blockhouse 1975 -76. XCIII 1977 pages 153 - 177.
  • --- Article in serial: Thompson, D. & Smith, V. (Mrs). 1978. Excavation of the Gravesend Blockhouse 1975 -76. XCIII 1977 pages 153 - 177.
  • <1> OS Card Reference: "Hist. of Gravesend" 1843, 161-3, 509-16 (R.P. Cruden).
  • <2> OS Card Reference: Royal Engineers Jour. 23, 1965, 207-16 (A.A. Crookshank).
  • <3> OS Card Reference: Map of Tilbury Fort, Gravesend etc., 1778 (T.H. Page) scale 1" = 400 ft..
  • <4> OS Card Reference: F1 ASP 14-OCT-64.
  • <5> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 89 1974 141-68 plans (V T C Smith).
  • <6> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 93 1977 153-77 (D Thompson & V Smith).
  • <7> OS Card Reference: DOE (IAM) Rec Form 21.5.79.
  • <8> OS Card Reference: Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 1977 9 (D Bennett).
  • <9> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 91 1975 208-209 (VTC Smith).
  • <10> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 93 1977 153-177 (D Thompson and V Smith).
  • <11>XY OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 89 1974 141-168 (VTC Smith). [Mapped feature: #127 Blockhouse, ]
  • <12> Article in serial: Thompson, D. G.. 1976. The Tudor Blockhouse at the Clarendon Royal Hotel, Gravesend. 45, pages 116-18. Kent Arch Rev 45 1975 116-118 (DG Thompson).
  • <13> OS Card Reference: Hist of the King's works 4 2 1982 602-3 (HM Colvin).
  • <14> OS Card Reference: Bldgs of Eng West Kent and the Weald 1980 303 (J Newman).
  • <15> OS Card Reference: Post Med Arch 12 1978 109 (DG Thompson and V Smith).
  • <16> Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 67 SW 5 - October, 1964.
  • <17> Article in monograph: Saunders, Andrew. 1995. Thames fortifications during the 16th to 19th centuries. 124-134.
  • <18> Unpublished document: Kent Archaeological Rescue Unit. 1990. Archaeological Evaluation Excavation PLA Offices, Gravesend.
  • <19> Article in serial: Smith, V.T.C.. 1995. The Gravesend Blockhouse revealed - again!. 122, pages 39-40.
  • <21> Index: Kent County Council. 1999. Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites. KD128.
  • <22> Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4126. print.
  • <23> Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 4019. print.
  • <24> Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 3098. print.
  • <25> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2005. North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey: Phase ll: Field Assessment Year Two Report.
  • <26> Scheduling record: English Heritage. Register of Scheduled Monuments.

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Related Events/Activities (3)

  • Intrusive Event: Evaluation at PLA Office Site, Royal Pier Road (EWX6613)
  • Intrusive Event: Excavation at the Clarendon Royal Hotel, 1975-6 (Ref: EI 14952) (EKE4710)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: Survey, North Kent Coastal Zone: Phase ll, Year Two (Ref: 56751) (EWX8626)

Record last edited

Jun 23 2021 3:27PM