Shornemead Fort

Shornemead Fort is a military fortification on the south bank of the Thames near Gravesend, built with granite gun casemates and open battery positions. The site contains multiple cannon emplacements arranged to protect the river from naval threats.

The fort was built between 1861 and 1870, replacing an earlier battery from 1796 as part of Britain's defense against potential French naval attacks on London. It formed part of a coordinated defensive system protecting the Thames corridor.

The fort represents a key example of how Victorians designed river defenses through coordinated cannon positions and sturdy stonework. When you walk around, you can see how the structure was meant to work as an integrated defensive system.

The remains are accessible via a concrete road from Lower Higham Road and are now located within Shorne Marshes Nature Reserve. Visitors should expect marshy ground and uneven surfaces when exploring the site.

The fort suffered from serious structural problems due to its location on marshy ground, with subsidence so severe that its heavy guns could never be fired effectively. This engineering failure ultimately prevented the site from serving its intended defensive role.