EAST TILBURY BLOCKHOUSE

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The site of a Henrician blockhouse built between 1539 and 1541 at East Tilbury, Essex by Henry VIII as part of his chain of coastal defences. East Tilbury Blockhouse was one of five blockhouses built along this stretch of the river Thames to defend the approach to London and the dockyards at Woolwich and Deptford; the others being at Tilbury, Higham, Milton and Gravesend. East Tilbury and Higham were located at a narrow point in the river to allow for cross-fire. The blockhouse was disarmed in 1553 and was in ruins on the foreshore by 1735. It is possible that the remains of the blockhouse lie beneath the mud.

East Tilbury Blockhouse was constructed from stone and timber robbed from St Margaret's Chantry nearby. It comprised of a simple gun tower with splayed embrasures for cannon, with guns in bombproof casemates and in open emplacements on the roof. It may have had a small defended enceinte or earthen rampart with guns in front.

This location continued to be of strategic importance and the Victorian Coalhouse Fort was built just inshore from the Henrician blockhouse.

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TQ 691 761 Blockhouse (site of)

Probable site of a Henrician blockhouse built on the River Thames at East Tilbury, Essex between 1539 and 1541 as part of a scheme to defend the approach to London and the dockyards at Woolwich and Deptford. There were four other blockhouses at Tilbury, Higham, Milton and Gravesend. The blockhouses were built to designs by Christopher Morice, Master of Ordnance, and James Needham, Clerk and Surveyor of Works. (1)

The blockhouse was located at an important ferry crossing between East Tilbury and Gravesend.

There is some dispute as to when the blockhouse was destroyed, but by 1735 it was in ruins on the foreshore. It is likely that the site is now beneath the mudflats in front of Coalhouse Point. (2)

The foreshore at Coalhouse Point was recorded by English Heritage in October-November 2000 following a request by the Inspector of Ancient Monuments, in order to ascertain whether any traces of the blockhouse could be discovered. This structure was previously recorded under the reference 413479 (TQ 67 NE 19).

The blockhouses were purpose-built to house artillery for the engagement of shipping on the river, denying an enemy the opportunity to bombard the shore or to disembark. Those at East Tilbury and Higham were located at a narrow point in the river to allow for cross-fire. They comprised simple gun towers with splayed embrasures for cannon, with guns in bombproof casemates and in open emplacements on the roof; they may have had a small defended enceinte or earthen rampart with guns in front.

For full details of survey report and archive plans contact the National Monuments record. (3)

Additional references (4-5)

A blockhouse was built at East Tilbury in 1539 and replaced by another one closer to the river in 1540. This was flooded by the sea and in ruins by 1735. (6)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) The Antiquaries journal : journal of the Society of Antiquaries of London

Saunders A. 1960. Tilbury Fort and the development of artillery fortification in the Thames Estuary 40, 1960 Page(s)152

(2) Externally held archive reference

A Map of South Hall in the Parish of East Tilbury in Essex, part of the lands belonging to Rochester Bridge, Surveyed in 1735 by C Stoane (Essex Record Office: T/M 528/2)

(3) English Heritage field survey reports

English Heritage: Coalhouse Point Survey

(4) by V T C Smith 1985 Coalhouse Fort and the artillery defences at East Tilbury: a history and guide

(5) Victor T C Smith 1985 Defending London's river

(6) World Wide Web page

Heritage Gateway. 2009. Essex HER, East Tilbury Coalhouse Fort, http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MEX6347&resourceID=1001 [Accessed 22-APR-2009]

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COALHOUSE FORT
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Coalhouse Fort is a remarkably well preserved late 19th century fort built on the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the UK in 1...

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The remains of a timber and concrete jetty survive on the eastern bank of the River Thames south-east of the village of East Tilbury. It was probably ...

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