Monument record TQ 76 NE 84 - Fort Pitt, Chatham

Summary

Fort Pitt is a bastioned fort of 1819 subsequently converted to hospital use and then to a school. Proposals during the 1790s to defend the river Medway in conjunction with the improvements to Fort Amherst came to nothing but in 1805, stimulated by the threat of French invasion, work was commenced on the hill overlooking Rochester. This was a rebuilding of an 18th century 'Star Fort' on the site. The new fort was not completed until 1819. It was broadly contemporary with the works associated with Fort Clarence and had similarities of form. In 1812 two supporting towers: Delce and Gibraltar Towers were constructed on the flanks of the fort. The armament of the fort in 1819 amounted to nine 18pdr cannon mounted and one unmounted, four 18pdr carronades mounted with eighteen unmounted, three 10pdr mortars mounted and one unmounted. The armament was retained into the 1820s but in 1828 the fort became a hospital for 172 invalided soldiers. By 1847 an asylum for insane servicemen was constructed in an enclosed section of the fort and two years later the fort became a general military hospital. In 1860 Florence Nightingale started the first Army Medical School here while waiting for the completion of the school at Netley. VAD Hospital at some time 1914-18.

Location

Grid reference Centred TQ 7502 6760 (317m by 364m)
Map sheet TQ76NE
Civil Parish ROCHESTER & CHATHAM, MEDWAY, KENT
County KENT
Unitary Authority MEDWAY

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Type and Period (4)

Full Description

Hazel Basford, 2004, Kent VAD - the work of voluntary aid detachments in Kent during the first World War (Unpublished document). SKE31644.

Wessex Archaeology, 2004, Proposed development at Fort Pitt, City Way, Chatham, Kent (Unpublished document). SKE52175.

Peter Kendall, 2006, Historic barracks in Medway (Unpublished document).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

<1> Kent Arch Rev 47 1977 172-176 (KR Gulvin) (OS Card Reference). SKE45786.

<2> A Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 1977 12 (D Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE32802.

<3> The Medway Forts: A Short Guide 1976 7-8 (K R Gulvin) (OS Card Reference). SKE50429.

<4> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1996, Fort Pitt Grammar School, Chatham. Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief (Unpublished document). SWX6696.

<5> Victor Smith and Ron Crowdy, 1994, From Tudor Rose to Mushroom Cloud. The Gazetter of Defence Heritage Sites in the Kentish Part of the Thames Gateway. An Overview (Unpublished document). SKE12458.

<6> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

<7> English Heritage, 2008, Fort Pitt, Chatham, Kent: An Earthwork Analysis of Jackson Recreation Ground. Survey Report (Unpublished document). SKE15972.

<8> Wessex Archaeology, 2014, University for the Creative Arts, Rochester, Kent: Archaeological Evaluation Report (Unpublished document). SKE51992.

<9> Wessex Archaeology, 2005, City Way, Rochester, Kent, Report on Archaeological Evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE53730.

Sources/Archives (12)

  • --- Unpublished document: Peter Kendall. 2006. Historic barracks in Medway.
  • --- Unpublished document: Hazel Basford. 2004. Kent VAD - the work of voluntary aid detachments in Kent during the first World War.
  • --- Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2004. Proposed development at Fort Pitt, City Way, Chatham, Kent.
  • <1> OS Card Reference: Kent Arch Rev 47 1977 172-176 (KR Gulvin).
  • <2>XY OS Card Reference: A Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 1977 12 (D Bennett). [Mapped feature: #108890 ford, ]
  • <3> OS Card Reference: The Medway Forts: A Short Guide 1976 7-8 (K R Gulvin).
  • <4> Unpublished document: Canterbury Archaeological Trust. 1996. Fort Pitt Grammar School, Chatham. Report on an Archaeological Watching Brief.
  • <5> Unpublished document: Victor Smith and Ron Crowdy. 1994. From Tudor Rose to Mushroom Cloud. The Gazetter of Defence Heritage Sites in the Kentish Part of the Thames Gateway. An Overview.
  • <6> Unpublished document: Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders. 2001. Kent's Defence Heritage.
  • <7> Unpublished document: English Heritage. 2008. Fort Pitt, Chatham, Kent: An Earthwork Analysis of Jackson Recreation Ground. Survey Report.
  • <8> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2014. University for the Creative Arts, Rochester, Kent: Archaeological Evaluation Report.
  • <9> Unpublished document: Wessex Archaeology. 2005. City Way, Rochester, Kent, Report on Archaeological Evaluation.

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Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Events/Activities (8)

  • Intrusive Event: Archaeological Evaluation at University for the Creative Arts, Rochester, Kent (Ref: 101880) (EKE17635)
  • Intrusive Event: City Way, Rochester, Kent, Report on Archaeological Evaluation (Ref: 58970E.02) (EKE20657)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: Desk-based assessment, Fort Pitt, 2004 (Ref: 55650.02) (EKE19231)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: Earthwork analysis of Jackson Recreation Ground, Fort Pitt, Chatham (EKE10310)
  • Intrusive Event: Evaluation at Mid Kent College, City Way, Rochester. (EKE11107)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: RCHME: Hospitals Project (EKE20853)
  • Intrusive Event: Watching brief at Fort Pitt Grammar School, Chatham (EKE8368)
  • Intrusive Event: Watching brief on geotechnical test pits, Mid Kent College, Rochester (EKE11108)

Related Thematic Articles (1)

Record last edited

Sep 3 2021 1:16PM