Monument record TQ 77 NW 1010 - Site of a Gunpowder and chemical explosives factory (Curtis's & Harvey), Lower Hope Point, Cliffe

Summary

Site of a former late 19th-century gunpowder works and early 20th-century chemical explosives factory on Cliffe Marshes. Established in 1892 by Hay Merricks & Co as a gunpowder works but subsequently developed as a chemical explosives factory with a focus on cordite in the early 1900s by Curtis's and Harvey Ltd. The site was closed in the 1920s. The site was originally chosen because of the isolated location some distance from settlement and for its prime transport links to the Thames shipping lane.Extensive remains of earthworks and concrete structures revealing the factory's complex plan form survive across the 128-hectare site in the north-western corner of the Hoo Peninsula. The remains have been surveyed in detail from the ground and mapped from aerial photographs and Environment Agency lidar imagery, and a comprehensive archaeological survey report has been produced, all undertaken as part of the English Heritage: Hoo Peninsula Landscape Project.

Location

Grid reference Centred TQ 721 786 (1591m by 1276m) Approximate
Map sheet TQ77NW
County KENT
Civil Parish CLIFFE AND CLIFFE WOODS, MEDWAY, KENT
Unitary Authority MEDWAY

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Type and Period (2)

Full Description

<1> Eve, D., 1999, A guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Kent, G10 (Monograph). SWX9293.

<2> Cocroft, Wayne, 1995, The munitions industry, includes photo (Article in monograph). SWX9357.

<3> Wessex Archaeology, 2005, North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey: Phase ll: Field Assessment Year Two Report (Unpublished document). SWX12323.

<4> Historic england, 2014, Hoo Peninsula Outline Historic Area Assessment: Cliffe and Cliffe Woods Parish. Research Report 2014-54 (Bibliographic reference). SKE31591.

<5> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10276.

<6> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10275.

<7> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10259.

<8> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10258.

<9> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10245.

<10> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10244.

<11> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9827.

<12> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9779.

<13> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9778.

<14> English Heritage, 2013, Curtis's and Harvey Ltd Explosives Factory, Cliffe and Cliffe Woods, Medway. Archaeological Survey and Analysis of the Factory Remains Volume 1 of 2. (Bibliographic reference). SKE31730.

<15> English Heritage, 2013, Curtis's and Harvey Ltd Explosives Factory, Cliffe and Cliffe Woods, Medway. Archaeological Survey and Analysis of the Factory Remains Volume 2 of 2. (Bibliographic reference). SKE31442.

<16> Cocroft, Wayne, 2000, Dangerous energy : the archaeology of gunpowder and military explosives manufacture, 108,143,144, 161 (Bibliographic reference). SKE56449.

<17> Public Record Office, Public Record Office MUN5/159/1122.7/28 List of factories, etc at which explosives are manufactured or stored (12) (Miscellaneous Material). SKE56458.

<18> RCHME, 1995, Thames Gateway: Recording Historic Buildings And Landscapes On The Thames Estuary (Unpublished document). SKE17329.

<19> Royal Air Force, 1941, NMR RAF/26K/UK/1455 2039 14-MAR-1941 (Photograph). SKE56450.

<20> Royal Air Force, 1947, Aerial photo: NMR RAF/CPE/UK/2065 3111 14-MAY-1947 (Photograph). SKE56451.

<21> Royal Air Force, 1953, NMR RAF/82/713 PTII/0225 16-FEB-1953 (Photograph). SKE56452.

<22> Unknown, 2007, PGA TQ7277 21-APR-2007 (Photograph). SKE56453.

<23> Environment Agency, 2001, LIDAR TQ 7078 Environment Agency D0015721 APR-2001 (Digital archive). SKE56454.

<24> Historic England, 2011, Rebecca Pullen, Sarah Newsome, Andrew Williams and Wayne Cocroft/Nov 2010 to Jan 2011/EH: 5733 Hoo Peninsula Historic Landscape Project (Miscellaneous Material). SKE56455.

<25> HM Explosives Inspectorate, 1903, H M Explosives Inspectorate 1903 Report CLVII Explosion of partly mixed cordite at Factory 154 Kent (Bibliographic reference). SKE56456.

<26> Munday R, 1994, The Cliffe explosion of 1911, Bygone Kent vol 15 no.1 (p23-8) (Bibliographic reference). SKE56457.

<27> Historic England, Archive material (Archive). SKE56459.

Sources/Archives (27)

  • <1> Monograph: Eve, D.. 1999. A guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Kent. G10.
  • <2> Article in monograph: Cocroft, Wayne. 1995. The munitions industry. 89-97. includes photo.
  • <3> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2005. North Kent Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey: Phase ll: Field Assessment Year Two Report.
  • <4> Bibliographic reference: Historic england. 2014. Hoo Peninsula Outline Historic Area Assessment: Cliffe and Cliffe Woods Parish. Research Report 2014-54.
  • <5> Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 172. print.
  • <6> Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 170. print.
  • <7> Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 117. print.
  • <8> Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 115. print.
  • <9> Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 111. print.
  • <10> Photograph (Print): 2000. Photograph. 109. print.
  • <11> Photograph (Print): 1947. Photograph. 3021. print.
  • <12> Photograph (Print): 1947. Photograph. 3112. print.
  • <13> Photograph (Print): 1947. Photograph. 3109. print.
  • <14> Bibliographic reference: English Heritage. 2013. Curtis's and Harvey Ltd Explosives Factory, Cliffe and Cliffe Woods, Medway. Archaeological Survey and Analysis of the Factory Remains Volume 1 of 2..
  • <15> Bibliographic reference: English Heritage. 2013. Curtis's and Harvey Ltd Explosives Factory, Cliffe and Cliffe Woods, Medway. Archaeological Survey and Analysis of the Factory Remains Volume 2 of 2..
  • <16> Bibliographic reference: Cocroft, Wayne. 2000. Dangerous energy : the archaeology of gunpowder and military explosives manufacture. 108,143,144, 161.
  • <17> Miscellaneous Material: Public Record Office. Public Record Office MUN5/159/1122.7/28 List of factories, etc at which explosives are manufactured or stored (12).
  • <18> Unpublished document: RCHME. 1995. Thames Gateway: Recording Historic Buildings And Landscapes On The Thames Estuary.
  • <19> Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1941. NMR RAF/26K/UK/1455 2039 14-MAR-1941. NMR RAF/26K/UK/1455 2039 14-MAR-1941.
  • <20> Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. Aerial photo: NMR RAF/CPE/UK/2065 3111 14-MAY-1947. NMR RAF/CPE/UK/2065 3111 14-MAY-1947.
  • <21> Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1953. NMR RAF/82/713 PTII/0225 16-FEB-1953. NMR RAF/82/713 PTII/0225 16-FEB-1953.
  • <22> Photograph: Unknown. 2007. PGA TQ7277 21-APR-2007. PGA TQ7277 21-APR-2007.
  • <23> Digital archive: Environment Agency. 2001. LIDAR TQ 7078 Environment Agency D0015721 APR-2001.
  • <24> Miscellaneous Material: Historic England. 2011. Rebecca Pullen, Sarah Newsome, Andrew Williams and Wayne Cocroft/Nov 2010 to Jan 2011/EH: 5733 Hoo Peninsula Historic Landscape Project.
  • <25> Bibliographic reference: HM Explosives Inspectorate. 1903. H M Explosives Inspectorate 1903 Report CLVII Explosion of partly mixed cordite at Factory 154 Kent.
  • <26> Bibliographic reference: Munday R. 1994. The Cliffe explosion of 1911, Bygone Kent vol 15 no.1 (p23-8).
  • <27> Archive: Historic England. Archive material.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (11)

Related Events/Activities (3)

  • Non-Intrusive Event: Curtis's and Harvey Ltd Explosives Factory, Cliffe and Cliffe Woods, Medway. Archaeological Survey and Analysis of the factory remains. (Ref: Research Department Report Series 11-2011) (EKE15033)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: Hoo Peninsula Outline Historic Area Assessment: Cliffe and Cliffe Woods Parish. Research Report Series 54-2014 (Ref: Research Report Series: 54-2014) (EKE15026)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: Survey, North Kent Coastal Zone: Phase ll, Year Two (Ref: 56751) (EWX8626)

Record last edited

Aug 30 2024 10:38AM