Out on the windy reaches of the Essex Thames is a fort built to protect London built by Henry the 8th and extended to stop Napoleon sailing upstream and stealing our crown jewels. Over several decades is has been upgraded with heavier guns but never saw any real action until WW2 when it was kitted out with ack-ack guns to protect the docks.
Tilbury Fort Entrance is constructed in a Baroque style from natural sandstone. The fort is maintained by English Heritage and is open every day of the year except Christmas Day, manned by brave souls even on bitterly cold winter days.
Ack-Ack Guns these newish guns from WW2 are mounted on the old fortifications.
Shell Store, guns are fed by shells from underground magazines beneath each of the guns.
Tunnels link the shell magazines across most of the perimeter of the site.
Gunpowder Stores are located well away from the guns and have very heavy buttressed walls designed to stay in place if an explosion blows the roof off.
Naval Gun a 3 inch deck gun from a submarine.
Double Bore shore gun slowly rusting away.
Rear Entrance to the fort is across two wooden bascule bridges spanning a double moat.
Bridge Across the Moat, this is a modern rebuild.
25 Pounder Field Gun, mainstay artillery weapon for UK forces in France WW2.
Morris Commercial, 2.5 ton truck for pulling guns and ammo around.
Interior of Morris, note the air filter in the cab to stop sand and dust clogging up the air intake.
Worlds End Pub, right next to the fort's entrance is the pub for steak and kidley pud.
Thames Mud Flats, facing onto the fort - there's a nice walk along the river wall.
Further information,
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.12192 the fort is a good day out to a part of Essex rarely visited and good value at about £4 entrance - allow at least half a day maybe more if you take a walk along the riverside.
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