TQ 77 SE 1195 - UPNOR CASTLE - Historic Environment Record

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Listed Building record TQ 77 SE 1195 - UPNOR CASTLE

Summary

Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1559 to 1999. Built in 1559 to protect the Queen's navy when moored in Chatham Reach and later enlarged at the end of the 16th century. Subsequently it was converted into a magazine establishment in the late-17th century after the Dutch raid on the Medway. The castle was designed by Sir Richard Lee, the foremost English military engineer of his day. Accounts of the first building campaign extend to 1564. The castle was enlarged 1599-1601 when it took on its present shape. In 1623, eighteen guns of various sizes were mounted and the castle saw action during the Dutch raid on the Medway in 1667. Following that attack, the defences of the Medway were changed radically and in 1668 Upnor was ordered to be converted into 'a Place of Stores and Magazine'. This use continued until 1827. Soon after 1718, a separate barrack was built for the garrison close to the village street. In 1891 Upnor and its depot was transferred from the War Office to the Admiralty and became part of the Naval Armament Supply Department Summary from record TQ 77 SE 1198: Elizabethan fortification converted into naval powder magazine. Summary from record TQ 77 SE 1315: An artillery castle situated on the north western bank of the River Medway which survives in the form of standing buildings, ruined structures and earthworks.

Location

Grid reference	TQ 75856 70574 (point)
Map sheet	TQ77SE
County	KENT
Civil Parish	FRINDSBURY EXTRA, MEDWAY, KENT
Unitary Authority	MEDWAY

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Type and Period (7)

Full Description

<1> OS 6" 1931-8 (OS Card Reference). SKE48330.

<2> Cal S P Dom 1547-80 172 (OS Card Reference). SKE38476.

<3> Cal S P Dom 1581-90 304 (OS Card Reference). SKE38477.

<4> Arch Cant vol 65 1952 1-11 Plan Photos (B H St. J O'Neil & S Evans) (OS Card Reference). SKE36425.

<5> `Antiquities of England & Wales' vol 3 1787 112-3 Illus (F Grose) (OS Card Reference). SKE32705.

<6> `Castles of England' vol I 1897 53-5 (JD Mackenzie) (OS Card Reference). SKE32711.

<7> `Old Rochester' No 29 1930 45 (OS Card Reference). SKE32726.

<8> "Hist of the Administration of the Royal Navy' 1509-1660" 1896 150-1 156 211 213 299 367 (M Oppenhei (OS Card Reference). SKE32637.

<9> F1 AC 16-NOV-51 (OS Card Reference). SKE41813.

<10> F2 FGA 02-NOV-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE43315.

<11> Upnor Castle 1967 (MPB & W) (OS Card Reference). SKE50702.

<12> DOE(HHR)City of Rochester Upon Medway 1986 18 (OS Card Reference). SKE41256.

<13> Arch J 126 1969 276-8 (AD Saunders) (OS Card Reference). SKE36572.

<14> Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 1977 12 (D Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE43672.

<15> Upnor Castle Eng Heritage booklet 1987 (AD Saunders) (OS Card Reference). SKE50703.

<16> Upnor Castle HMSO booklet 1984 (OS Card Reference). SKE50704.

<17> The Eng Castle 1936 111 (H Braun) (OS Card Reference). SKE50337.

<18> Hist of the King's Works vol 4 pt 2 1982 400 403 407 410 411 414 478-82 (HM Colvin) (OS Card Reference). SKE44047.

<19> Bldgs of Eng West Kent and the Weald 1980 590 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE38097.

<20> DOE (IAM) AM's Eng 2 1978 112 (OS Card Reference). SKE40689.

<21> Field report for monument TQ 77 SE 4 - November, 1951 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4248.

<22> Field report for monument TQ 77 SE 4 - November, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4249.

<23> O'Neil, B.H. St J. and Evans, S., 1952, Upnor Castle, Kent, p.1-11 (Article in serial). SWX7442.

<24> Anon., 1994, Research and Discoveries in Kent: 1994, p.462 (Article in serial). SWX7355.

<25> Smithers, D. W., 1980, Castles in Kent (Monograph). SWX9392.

<26> D. Steel, 1802, Medway and Thames (Chart). SWX8090.

<27> Bullock, 1835, River Medway (Chart). SWX8076.

<28> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9747.

<29> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9752.

<30> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9847.

<31> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9871.

<32> 1945, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9893.

<33> 1944, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10020.

<34> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10397.

<35> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11076.

<36> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11077.

<37> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11080.

<38> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11081.

<39> 1986, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11082.

<40> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11083.

<41> 1998, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11084.

<42> Kent County Council, 1999, Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites, KD12 (Index). SWX11828.

<43> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

<44> English Heritage, 2008, Upnor Castle, Upnor, Kent: Tree-Ring Analysis of Two Oak Trees (Unpublished document). SKE15897.

<45> Keevill Heritage Consultancy, 2009, Upnor Castle, Medway, Kent: Report of archaeological recording on the foreshore (Unpublished document). SKE15898.

<46> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<47> MMRG, 07/07/07, Upnor castle Magazine (Photograph). SKE14537.

<48> David Evans, 01/01/06, Arming the Fleet (Article in monograph). SKE14472.

<49> Keevill Heritage Consultancy, 2007, Upnor Castle, Medway, Kent: NGR TQ 758 706 Report Of An Archaeological Watching Brief On Drainage Works On The North Platform (Unpublished document). SKE15896.

<50> Peter Kendall, 2006, Historic barracks in Medway (Unpublished document). SKE15939.

<51> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<52> Davies J & Stewart S, 1997, Wall Painting Condition Audit: Upnor Castle, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE54120.

<53> Historic England, Archive material associated with Upnor Castle, Listed building (Archive). SKE54121.

Sources/Archives (53)

<1> SKE48330 OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1931-8.
<2> SKE38476 OS Card Reference: Cal S P Dom 1547-80 172.
<3> SKE38477 OS Card Reference: Cal S P Dom 1581-90 304.
<4> SKE36425 OS Card Reference: Arch Cant vol 65 1952 1-11 Plan Photos (B H St. J O'Neil & S Evans).
<5> SKE32705 OS Card Reference: `Antiquities of England & Wales' vol 3 1787 112-3 Illus (F Grose).
<6> SKE32711 OS Card Reference: `Castles of England' vol I 1897 53-5 (JD Mackenzie).
<7> SKE32726 OS Card Reference: `Old Rochester' No 29 1930 45.
<8> SKE32637 OS Card Reference: "Hist of the Administration of the Royal Navy' 1509-1660" 1896 150-1 156 211 213 299 367 (M Oppenhei.
<9> SKE41813 OS Card Reference: F1 AC 16-NOV-51.
<10> SKE43315 OS Card Reference: F2 FGA 02-NOV-64.
<11> SKE50702 OS Card Reference: Upnor Castle 1967 (MPB & W).
<12> SKE41256 OS Card Reference: DOE(HHR)City of Rochester Upon Medway 1986 18.
<13> SKE36572 OS Card Reference: Arch J 126 1969 276-8 (AD Saunders).
<14> SKE43672 OS Card Reference: Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 1977 12 (D Bennett).
<15> SKE50703 OS Card Reference: Upnor Castle Eng Heritage booklet 1987 (AD Saunders).
<16> SKE50704 OS Card Reference: Upnor Castle HMSO booklet 1984.
<17> SKE50337 OS Card Reference: The Eng Castle 1936 111 (H Braun).
<18> SKE44047 OS Card Reference: Hist of the King's Works vol 4 pt 2 1982 400 403 407 410 411 414 478-82 (HM Colvin).
<19> SKE38097 OS Card Reference: Bldgs of Eng West Kent and the Weald 1980 590 (J Newman).
<20> SKE40689 OS Card Reference: DOE (IAM) AM's Eng 2 1978 112.
<21> SKE4248 Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 77 SE 4 - November, 1951.
<22> SKE4249 Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 77 SE 4 - November, 1964.
<23> SWX7442 Article in serial: O'Neil, B.H. St J. and Evans, S.. 1952. Upnor Castle, Kent. 65, pages 1-11. p.1-11.
<24> SWX7355 Article in serial: Anon.. 1994. Research and Discoveries in Kent: 1994. 114, pages 435-67. p.462.
<25> SWX9392 Monograph: Smithers, D. W.. 1980. Castles in Kent.
<26> SWX8090 Chart: D. Steel. 1802. Medway and Thames. chart.
<27> SWX8076 Chart: Bullock. 1835. River Medway. chart.
<28> SWX9747 Photograph (Print): 1947. Photograph. 5160. print.
<29> SWX9752 Photograph (Print): 1947. Photograph. 5186. print.
<30> SWX9847 Photograph (Print): 1947. Photograph. 3102. print.
<31> SWX9871 Photograph (Print): 1947. Photograph. 4104. print.
<32> SWX9893 Photograph (Print): 1945. Photograph. 2017. print.
<33> SWX10020 Photograph (Print): 1944. Photograph. 2062. print.
<34> SWX10397 Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 138. print.
<35> SWX11076 Photograph (Print): 1986. Photograph. TQ7570/10. print.
<36> SWX11077 Photograph (Print): 1986. Photograph. TQ7570/11. print.
<37> SWX11080 Photograph (Print): 1986. Photograph. TQ7570/7. print.
<38> SWX11081 Photograph (Print): 1986. Photograph. TQ7570/8. print.
<39> SWX11082 Photograph (Print): 1986. Photograph. TQ7570/9. print.
<40> SWX11083 Photograph (Print): 1998. Photograph. TQ7571/10. print.
<41> SWX11084 Photograph (Print): 1998. Photograph. TQ7571/11. print.
<42> SWX11828 Index: Kent County Council. 1999. Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites. KD12.
<43> SKE6956 Unpublished document: Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders. 2001. Kent's Defence Heritage.
<44> SKE15897 Unpublished document: English Heritage. 2008. Upnor Castle, Upnor, Kent: Tree-Ring Analysis of Two Oak Trees.
<45> SKE15898 Unpublished document: Keevill Heritage Consultancy. 2009. Upnor Castle, Medway, Kent: Report of archaeological recording on the foreshore.
<46> SKE16191 Scheduling record: English Heritage. Register of Scheduled Monuments.
<47> SKE14537 Photograph: MMRG. 07/07/07. Upnor castle Magazine.
<48> SKE14472 Article in monograph: David Evans. 01/01/06. Arming the Fleet.
<49> SKE15896 Unpublished document: Keevill Heritage Consultancy. 2007. Upnor Castle, Medway, Kent: NGR TQ 758 706 Report Of An Archaeological Watching Brief On Drainage Works On The North Platform.
<50> SKE15939 Unpublished document: Peter Kendall. 2006. Historic barracks in Medway.
<51>XY SKE16160 Map: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Mapped feature: #29586 Castle, ]
<52> SKE54120 Unpublished document: Davies J & Stewart S. 1997. Wall Painting Condition Audit: Upnor Castle, Kent.
<53> SKE54121 Archive: Historic England. Archive material associated with Upnor Castle, Listed building.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (7)

Intrusive Event: Archaeological recording on the foreshore, Upnor Castle, Medway, Kent (EKE10237)
Non-Intrusive Event: English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project NMP (EKE20812)
Non-Intrusive Event: NHPP Naval Battlefields Project (EKE20884)
Intrusive Event: Tree-Ring Analysis of Two Oak Trees, Upnor Castle, Upnor, Kent (EKE10236)
Non-Intrusive Event: Wall painting condition audit Upnor Castle (EKE20883)
Intrusive Event: Watching brief at Upnor Castle, near Rochester (EWX6565)
Intrusive Event: Watching Brief on Drainage Works on the North Platform Upnor Castle, Medway (EKE10235)

Record last edited

Aug 13 2021 10:39AM