TR 154337. Fort Sutherland, 1798 having 8 x 24 pounders. (1)

Fort Sutherland. Built in 1798 it was a self-contained triangular fort on a small scale, similar to the batteries at Dungeness. The terreplein, slightly raised to give command of the sea, accommodated eight 24-pounders, and a brick loop-holed wall 3.5 metres high extended from the corners of the terreplein to form a sharp point at the rear. The main entrance, guardroom and ancillary buildings were spaced along the exterior walls. It was damaged by the sea by 1869 but the foundations of the outer fort wall remain visible on aerial photographs taken in 1942, 1983 and 2001.

The fort is visible as an earthwork on the available historical aerial photographs viewed as part of the South East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey NMP. The earthworks define the outer wall as it is defined on the Ordnance Survey map and on the plan drawing of the fort held in The National Archives (2). The apex of the outer fort wall is visible on recent aerial photographs taken in 1983 and 2001, where the wall foundations were still visible. (2-8)

<1> Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 1977 38 (D Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE43679.

<2> Bennett, D., 1977, A Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945, p38 (Monograph). SKE7811.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1905-10, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 3rd edition: 1901-1912, 1908/1:2500 (Map). SWX11833.

<4> Fort Sutherland Map Plan (Map). SWX23573.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1928-1947, Ordnance Survey 1:2500 4th edition 1928-1947, 1938/1:2500 (Map). Ske12644.

<6> RAF, 1942, NMR RAF/AC81 147-148 26-AUG-1942 (Photograph). SWX23888.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 2009, OS MasterMap, 2009/MasterMap (Cartographic materials). SWX15710.

<8> 1983, MAL/19083 067; 075 12-JUL-1983 (Photograph). SWX23758.