TQ 77 SE 21 - Remains of Cockham Wood Fort, Gull Down Plantation, Hoo St. Werburgh

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument record TQ 77 SE 21 - Remains of Cockham Wood Fort, Gull Down Plantation, Hoo St. Werburgh

Summary

This battery, on the left bank of the Medway, was built between 1668 and the early 70s as part of Bernard de Gomme’s scheme for strengthening the defences of the river following the Dutch Raid in 1667. It crossed its fire with Gillingham Fort on the right bank of the river. Cockham Wood Fort consisted of two levels of gun emplacements stepped into the slope of the riverbank, one above the other, within a rectangular earthwork rampart and a ditch. There was a brick tower redoubt in the centre of the rear rampart. The entrance was on the east side of the work, within which there was a gunner’s house. The lower level of gun emplacements terminated in a pair of slightly raised brick bastions. In 1713 the fort was armed with 44 guns, reduced to half this number by 1725. It was a disused ruin by the 1790s. Following sale into private ownership in the later 19th century, the decay of the fort continued, with much robbing of building materials and the erosion of its river front by tidal action.

Location

Grid reference	Centred TQ 7763 7126 (91m by 66m) FCE
Map sheet	TQ77SE
County	KENT
Civil Parish	HOO ST WERBURGH, MEDWAY, KENT
Unitary Authority	MEDWAY

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Type and Period (1)

FORT (Post Medieval - 1668 AD to 1799 AD?)

Full Description

<1> Map of Medway Defences 1724 (IP Desmarets) (OS Card Reference). SKE46527.

<2> Map of Medway Defences 1688 (G Collins) (OS Card Reference). SKE46523.

<3> F1 FGA 31-MAR-65 (OS Card Reference). SKE43004.

<4> A Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 1977 13 (D Bennett) (OS Card Reference). SKE32804.

<5> DOE(IAM)AM's Eng 2 1978 112 (OS Card Reference). SKE41457.

<6> DOE(IAM)SAM's 1988 Kent 17 (OS Card Reference). SKE41462.

<7> PM Arch 10 1076 104-5 (VTC Smith) (OS Card Reference). SKE48528.

<8> Field report for monument TQ 77 SE 21 - March, 1965 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4272.

<9> Anon, c.1690, A draught of the River Medway (Chart). SWX9272.

<10> Anon, 1760, River Medway (Chart). SWX9277.

<11> D. Steel, 1802, Medway and Thames (Chart). SWX8090.

<12> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9510.

<13> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9870.

<14> Kent County Council, 1999, Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites, KD99 (Index). SWX11828.

<15> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

<16> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

Sources/Archives (16)

<1> SKE46527 OS Card Reference: Map of Medway Defences 1724 (IP Desmarets).
<2> SKE46523 OS Card Reference: Map of Medway Defences 1688 (G Collins).
<3> SKE43004 OS Card Reference: F1 FGA 31-MAR-65.
<4> SKE32804 OS Card Reference: A Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 1977 13 (D Bennett).
<5> SKE41457 OS Card Reference: DOE(IAM)AM's Eng 2 1978 112.
<6> SKE41462 OS Card Reference: DOE(IAM)SAM's 1988 Kent 17.
<7> SKE48528 OS Card Reference: PM Arch 10 1076 104-5 (VTC Smith).
<8> SKE4272 Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 77 SE 21 - March, 1965.
<9> SWX9272 Chart: Anon. c.1690. A draught of the River Medway.
<10> SWX9277 Chart: Anon. 1760. River Medway.
<11> SWX8090 Chart: D. Steel. 1802. Medway and Thames. chart.
<12> SWX9510 Photograph (Print): 1946. Photograph. 3119. print.
<13> SWX9870 Photograph (Print): 1947. Photograph. 4100. print.
<14> SWX11828 Index: Kent County Council. 1999. Survey of Kent post-1500 defence sites. KD99.
<15> SKE6956 Unpublished document: Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders. 2001. Kent's Defence Heritage.
<16>XY SKE16191 Scheduling record: English Heritage. Register of Scheduled Monuments. [Mapped feature: #399 fort, ]

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

Scheduled Monument 1239077: Cockham Wood Fort

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Non-Intrusive Event: Cockham Wood Fort Survey (EKE20887)

Record last edited

Aug 17 2021 3:53PM