82-611: New Tavern Fort is an historic artillery fort in Gravesend , Kent . Dating mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries, it is an unusually well-preserved example of an 18th-century fortification and remained in use for defensive purposes until the Second World War. It was built during the American War of Independence to guard the Thames against French and Spanish raiders operating in support of
164-453: A Mr. Houghton, a vesting act (the Plymouth, Sheerness, Gravesend, Tilbury – Fortifications Act 1780 , 20 Geo. 3 . c. 38) was passed to purchase it. It was originally an irregularly shaped unrevetted earthwork consisting of two batteries linked by a rampart. The first battery had two faces forming an angle towards the river, while the second smaller battery had a straight front. It was protected on
246-486: A broad earthen rampart constructed in a zig-zag pattern, with a broad ditch in front of it. Eight emplacements, six of brick and two of concrete, are contained within the rampart with magazines underneath them. The interior of the fort - originally its parade ground - is occupied by a grass-covered lawn with flowerbeds, trees, ornamental bushes and a bandstand at the centre. The ramparts face the river and can be divided into three sectors. The northern sector, originally called
328-482: A dominant feature, Gravesend's highest point is actually further inland at Marling Cross, adjacent to the A2 . From its origins as a landing place and shipping port , Gravesend gradually extended southwards and eastwards. Better-off people from London visited the town during the summer months; at first by boat, and then by railway. More extensive building began after World War I ; this increased after World War II, when many of
410-564: A fighter station, RAF Gravesend , and so Gravesend was heavily bombed by the Luftwaffe . In 1956 the site was taken over by Gravesend Borough Council; a large housing estate, known as Riverview Park, was built on its site. Gravesend is part of and is the principal town of the Borough of Gravesham. The borough was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972 , by the merger of
492-482: A greater reach downriver and would be able to cross its fire with that of Tilbury Fort. With fears increasing of a French invasion in support of their American allies, the government approved Page's proposals and construction began soon afterwards. The fort was constructed between 1780 and 1783 on a site originally occupied by the New Tavern Inn, from which it took its name. As the land was private property occupied by
574-521: A lack of centralised command and control, and lack of a detailed "picture". De Neumann resigned his command after returning Vigilant from the Spithead Review and joined the PLA, immediately suggesting, in a report to them submitted in 1953, that a feasibility study of such a system be carried out. He then oversaw its development and ultimate installation at Gravesend. Until the building of Tilbury Docks , on
656-412: A naval radio monitoring station. Oral testimony suggests that the station was used to intercept enemy radio communications which were taken to Bletchley Park for decryption. The Admiralty requisitioned the magazines in 1941 to utilise them and the connecting tunnels as air raid shelters for HMS Gordon, a naval shore establishment based in the nearby Sea School. Following the war, the fort was reopened to
738-451: A number of priests appointed by the Bishop of Rochester until around 1524. It was then dissolved into Crown hands as part of Henry VIII 's reformation of the churches . The building then became a family home (after a few alterations) and farm, but by the end of the 17th century it had become an inn and tavern named New Tavern. Between 1780 and 1918, New Tavern Fort occupied the area around
820-810: A pontoon is now in place at the pier head onto the Thames, which provides for small and medium-sized craft to land at Gravesend. On 17 September 2012, the Gravesend–Tilbury Ferry , relocated to the Town Pier, from its previous terminal in nearby West Street. Built in 1844, the initial construction was funded by the Gravesend Freehold Investment Company, at a cost of £9,200. It was where Princess Alexandra of Denmark arrived on her way to marry Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) in March 1865, and River pilots have been based here since
902-546: A population of 58,102. Its geographical situation has given Gravesend strategic importance throughout the maritime and communications history of South East England . A Thames Gateway commuter town , it retains strong links with the River Thames , not least through the Port of London Authority Pilot Station and has witnessed rejuvenation since the advent of High Speed 1 rail services via Gravesend railway station . The station
SECTION 10
#1732854932163984-601: A range of 6 miles (9.7 km), with separate magazines constructed to support them. They were only emplaced for a few years and the fort was disarmed before the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 and was rearmed in 1930 with a pair of replacement 6-inch guns, used to train the Territorial Army's Gravesend battery. At the same time, the Gravesend Corporation purchased the interior of the fort. The interior of
1066-614: Is a town in northwest Kent , England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex . Located in the diocese of Rochester , it is the administrative centre of the borough of Gravesham . Gravesend marks the eastern limit of the Greater London Built-up Area , as defined by the UK Office for National Statistics . In 2021 it had
1148-522: Is a former chantry chapel in Gravesend , Kent England. It houses the Chantry Heritage Centre, displaying a range of exhibits relating to Gravesend, Northfleet , and the nearby villages. It is within the Fort Gardens and is designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building. Milton Chantry is the oldest building in the Borough of Gravesham, in the former parish of Milton. It
1230-428: Is also a Grade II listed structure. Situated at the junction of Milton Road and Harmer Street, its foundation stone was laid on 6 September 1887. The memorial stone records that the clock tower was erected by public subscription (£700 was raised toward its construction) and dedicated to Queen Victoria , to commemorate the 50th year of her reign. Built of Portland and Dumfries stone and backed by London stock brick,
1312-561: Is located at a point where the higher land – the lowest point of the dip slope of the North Downs – reaches the Thames. To the east are the low-lying Shorne Marshes; to the west, beyond Northfleet and the Swanscombe Marshes. The settlement was thus established as it was a good landing place : it was also sheltered by the prominent height of what is now called Windmill Hill (see Landmarks below); although Windmill Hill still remains
1394-477: Is now filled with ornamental plants, pools and paths, and is designated as a nature area. Almost nothing now remains of the original internal barracks and administration buildings. The only substantial exception is the medieval Milton Chantry , the oldest building in Gravesend, which was used as a barracks. The lower Thames was of great strategic significance as the location of major military installations including
1476-435: Is therefore less cloudy, drier, and less prone to Atlantic depressions with their associated wind and rain than western parts, as well as being hotter in summer and colder in winter. Thus Gravesend continues to record higher temperatures in summer , sometimes being the hottest place in the country, e.g. on the warmest day of 2011, when temperatures reached 33.1 °C. Additionally, the town holds at least two records for
1558-400: Is unknown. Thomas Rolfe survived, but was placed under the supervision of Sir Lewis Stukley at Plymouth , before being sent to his uncle, Henry Rolfe whilst John Rolfe and his late wife's assistant Tomocomo reached America under the captaincy of Sir Samuel Argall 's ship. Pocahontas (real name: Matoaka) is an important figure in both American and British history and was the inspiration for
1640-610: The MV Royal Daffodil down the Thames from Gravesend to France, but they ceased in 1966. Cruises are now operated by the Lower Thames and Medway Passenger Boat Company up the river to Greenwich . The cross-river passenger ferry to Tilbury provides a long-established route to and from Essex. Before the Dartford Crossing came into being, there was a vehicle ferry at Gravesend as well. Milton Chantry Milton Chantry
1722-588: The Municipal Borough of Gravesend and Northfleet Urban District along with several parishes from Strood Rural District. Gravesend was incorporated as a Municipal Borough in 1835 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 and Northfleet was constituted an Urban District in 1894 under the Local Government Act 1894 : Gravesend absorbed Milton (1914), Denton, Chalk and part of Northfleet, including Claphall, Singlewell and King's Farm (1935). Gravesend
SECTION 20
#17328549321631804-569: The Second World War . Today the fort and its magazines and other underground structures have been restored and are open to the public. It is unique in the UK for its display of guns and emplacements ranging from the 18th to the 20th centuries. The fort is situated on the south bank of the River Thames and was intended to support the much older Tilbury Fort on the north bank. The structure consists of
1886-561: The Thames and was a popular spot for Victorian visitors to the town because of the camera obscura installed at the Old Mill and for its tea gardens and other amusements. The hill was the site of a beacon in 1377, which was instituted by King Richard II , and still in use 200 years later at the time of the Spanish Armada , although the hill was then known as "Rouge Hill". A modern beacon
1968-422: The country . Its earliest charter dates from 1268, with town status being granted to the two parishes of Gravesend and Milton by King Henry III in its Charter of Incorporation of that year. The first Mayor of Gravesend was elected in 1268 but the first town hall was not built until 1573. The current Gravesend Town Hall was completed in 1764: although it ceased to operate as a seat of government in 1968 when
2050-513: The "Long Ferry". It became the preferred form of passage, because of the perils of road travel (see below). On Gravesend's river front are the remains of a device fort built by command of King Henry VIII in 1543. In March 1617, John Rolfe and his Native American wife Rebecca ( Pocahontas ), with their two-year-old son, Thomas , boarded a ship in London bound for the Commonwealth of Virginia ;
2132-509: The 1960s, and Singlewell, which is adjacent to the A2 in the South Part of the southern built-up area of the town was originally two separate rural parishes: viz , Cobham and Northfleet . Gravesend has an oceanic climate similar to much of southern England, being accorded Köppen Climate Classification-subtype of " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate). On 10 August 2003, Gravesend recorded one of
2214-430: The 19th century other major employers have been the cement and paper industries. From 1932 to 1956, an airport was located to the east of the town. On Sunday 5 February 1939, Alex Henshaw commenced his record-breaking flight to Cape Town and back from here. He completed the flight in 39 hours 36 minutes over the next four days; his record still stands. Originally a civilian airfield , during World War II it became
2296-480: The British east coast the following year, along with the failed Franco-Spanish Armada of 1779 , prompted the British government to commission a survey of the country's coastal defences. The state of the defences was found to be unacceptably deficient and plans were made for the building of 30 new batteries, positioned in an arc along the southern and eastern English coast from Norfolk to Cornwall . The Thames portion of
2378-547: The Commissioners' recommendations were put into effect. Its existing guns were replaced in 1859 by ten 68-pounder guns , among the most powerful smooth-bore guns in service at the time, with a range of up to 3,500 yards (3,200 m). Two of the 68-pdrs. were replaced by 1865 with a pair of 10-inch shell guns, with a further 8-inch shell gun added, though all were still smooth-bore guns. Four early breech-loading RBL 40 pounder Armstrong guns mounted on field carriages had replaced
2460-465: The Kent coast – now called Watling Street . Domesday Book recorded mills , hythes , and fisheries here. Milton Chantry is Gravesend's oldest surviving building and dates from the early 14th century. It was refounded as a chapel in 1320/21 on the original site of a former leper hospital founded in 1189. It is a Grade II* listed building. Gravesend has one of the oldest surviving markets in
2542-509: The North Face, contains two concrete semi-circular emplacements in which two 6" breech-loading guns were installed in 1904. They are still occupied by guns of this type, though not the originals; this makes New Tavern Fort the only example in the UK of a fully re-armed two-gun 6" battery for breech-loading guns. A concrete fire position is located immediately to the west and the remains of its instrument pillar can still be seen. The middle sector -
New Tavern Fort - Misplaced Pages Continue
2624-574: The Prince of Orange and the Lord Nelson . Post coaches had been plying the route for at least two centuries: Samuel Pepys records having stopped off at Gravesend in 1650 en route to the Royal Dockyards at Chatham. A permanent military presence was established in the town when Milton Barracks opened in 1862. Although much of the town's economy continued to be connected with maritime trade, since
2706-673: The River Thames. A dinghy at an unmodernised Gravesend was the backdrop to the 1952 thriller The Long Memory starring Sir John Mills . In the film, Mills plays a character living in poverty on a derelict fishing boat stranded in the mud flats. Gravesend also has one of England's oldest regattas retained from its strong maritime links with the Thames. Although the origins of the regatta are unknown it dates back at least to Tudor times . The races are traditionally competed by Gravesend skiffs , 21-foot-long (6.4 m) oaken round-bottomed, clinker-built boats. The Thames Navigation Service
2788-549: The Terrace Pier Gardens, Windmill Hill, Springhead Gardens and Rosherville Gardens . Gravesend soon became one of the first English resort towns and thrived from an early tourist trade. Gravesend "watermen" were often in a family trade; and the town is the headquarters of the Port of London Authority Control Centre (formerly known as Thames Navigation Service ), has its headquarters at Gravesend, providing maritime pilots who play an important role in navigation on
2870-466: The chantry building. The tavern was converted into part of the fort's barracks. The New Tavern Fort was significantly altered between 1868 and 1871 under the direction of Charles George Gordon . The tavern and barracks were restored in 1852 and 1862. In 1932, the fort was converted into a park for the residents of Gravesend. During the World War II , the basement of the chantry chapel was converted into
2952-573: The commanding officer, stables and magazines. The rear of the fort was originally open, but by the end of the 18th century a defence wall and caponier with loopholes for muskets had been built to close it off. A kiln was also built to heat shot to a red heat for setting ships on fire. During the 19th century, New Tavern Fort underwent major reconstructions, though it retained its basic plan and earthworks. The gun emplacements were modernised in 1848 to install platforms for traversing guns, and further magazines were built. Further upgrades were soon needed. By
3034-715: The defences and make recommendations on improvements. Noting the importance of the Thames and its vulnerability to seaborne attack, the Commission advocated in its report in 1860 that two principal lines of defence should be established along the Thames. Three forts would be constructed or rebuilt - Shornemead Fort and Cliffe Fort in Kent and Coalhouse Fort in Essex - to provide an outer line of defence, with further forts and batteries protecting key sites further downriver. The inner line of defence would be provided by Tilbury Fort and New Tavern Fort. The fort underwent one more rearming before
3116-562: The design of the structure is based on the design of the Elizabeth Tower in the Palace of Westminster, which houses Big Ben . The centre of the clock itself is measured at 50 feet (15 m) above ground and the face measures 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) in diameter. The tower is Grade II listed . An American sculptor, William Ordway Partridge , created a life-size statue of the 17th-century Native American princess Pocahontas , which
3198-477: The dockyard and arsenal at Woolwich , the powder magazine at Purfleet , and the victualling stores and shipyard at Deptford . In addition, it was essential to ensure that an enemy could not make a landing along the Thames, which offered a potential land corridor to London. The crossing between Gravesend and Tilbury was also of considerable importance, which had prompted the Tudors to build fortifications on both sides of
3280-598: The earlier movable guns in 1862. The focus of the Army's fortification efforts was initially on the outer forts at Coalhouse Point, Cliffe and Shornemead, and it was not until January 1868 that instructions were issued by the War Office to reconstruct Tilbury and New Tavern Forts. The existing magazines and ramparts were demolished and new brick emplacements were built, on which were mounted ten 9-inch and one 12-inch RML guns capable of ranges of up to 4,600 yards (4,200 m). Seven of
3362-473: The easternmost part of the north rampart - was originally known as the Garden Face for its proximity to the gardens in the interior of the fort. It contains four brick emplacements built in 1868–72 to house rifled muzzle loader (RML) guns. One is protected by a thick iron shield with a gun-port in the middle, while the other three have unprotected open embrasures. All four are very well-preserved and still retain
New Tavern Fort - Misplaced Pages Continue
3444-503: The emplacements were protected by iron shields. The ramparts were extensively remodelled to accommodate new magazines, which were connected via lift shafts to serving rooms adjoining the emplacements. Colonel (later General) Charles George Gordon , who was to become famous for his death in the Siege of Khartoum in 1885, lived in Fort House in the grounds of the fort between 1865 and 1871 while he
3526-628: The end of the 1850s, Britain and France were engaged in a naval arms race. A new class of ironclad ships with powerful rifled muzzle loader (RML) guns, exemplified by the British HMS Warrior and the French La Gloire , posed a substantial threat to existing coastal defences. In response, the British government established a Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom to review
3608-513: The first woman to found a settlement in the New World. The Domesday spelling is its earliest known historical record; all other spellings – in the later (c. 1100) Domesday Monachorum and in Textus Roffensis the town is Gravesend and Gravesende , respectively. The variation Graveshend can be seen in a court record of 1422, where Edmund de Langeford was parson , and attributed to where
3690-413: The fort was opened to the public in 1932 as a pleasure garden, though the battery remained in use until 1938. Some of the fort's internal structures were also demolished at this time. Although it was no longer armed, New Tavern Fort continued to serve military purposes during the Second World War. A pair of 20-metre-high (66 ft) communications masts were built on top of the disused magazines to support
3772-530: The graves ended after the Black Death . The municipal title Gravesham was formally adopted in 1974 as the name for the new borough . Stone Age implements have been found in the locality since the 1900s, as has evidence of an Iron Age settlement at nearby Springhead . Extensive Roman remains have been found at nearby Vagniacae ; and Gravesend lies immediately to the north of the Roman road connecting London with
3854-405: The heart of the town, was first chartered in 1268. Gravesend has the world's oldest surviving cast iron pier , built in 1834. It is a unique structure having the first known iron cylinders used in its construction. The pier was completely refurbished in 2004 and now features a bar and restaurant; with public access to the pier head when the premises are open. A recent £2 million investment in
3936-536: The highest temperatures since records began in the United Kingdom, with a reading of 38.1 °C (100.6 °F), only beaten by Brogdale , near Faversham , 26 miles (42 km) to the ESE. Gravesend, which has a Met Office site, reports its data each hour. Being inland and yet relatively close to continental Europe , Gravesend enjoys a somewhat more continental climate than the coastal areas of Kent, Essex and East Anglia and also compared to western parts of Britain. It
4018-411: The housing estates in the locality were built. Gravesend's built-up areas comprise Painters Ash , adjacent to the A2; King's Farm (most of King's Farm estate was built in the 1920s); and Christianfields . The latter housing estate has been completely rebuilt over a 6-year project from 2007 to 2013. There is also the aforementioned Riverview Park estate built on the old RAF field in the south-east, in
4100-619: The larger ships moored at Tilbury landing stages. There have been many tug companies based at Gravesend: among them the Sun Company , the Alexandra Towing Company and, today, the Smith Howard Towing Company . East Indiamen traditionally stopped here at a point known as Long Reach to lighten their loads before sailing up the Thames to moorings at Blackwall . For some years after, war steamer excursions were run on
4182-459: The late 19th century. Today, Royal Terrace Pier is in constant 24-hour use, as part of the Port of London Authority main operations centre and Gravesend RNLI Lifeboat Station , one of four lifeboat stations situated on the River Thames; thus, its public access is available only occasionally during the year. It is T-shaped, with a pontoon at its pier head. Like the Town Pier , Royal Terrace Pier
SECTION 50
#17328549321634264-454: The main London-Dover road crossed Blackheath , notorious for its highwaymen . Stagecoaches from London to Canterbury , Dover and Faversham used Gravesend as one of their "stages" as did those coming north from Tonbridge . In 1840 there were 17 coaches picking up and setting down passengers and changing horses each way per day. There were two coaching inns on what is now Old Road East:
4346-412: The military history of Gravesend, and are open as a visitor attraction on summer weekends. A separate brick-arched magazine lies below the north rampart and was used to store ammunition for the 6″ guns, as well as a fire appliance. A wide ditch lies in front of the ramparts. Its width was increased in the 1860s, when it originally contained a fence intended to serve as an obstacle to attacking infantry. It
4428-473: The new Gravesham Civic Centre was opened, it remained in use as a magistrates' court until 2000. It now operates as a venue for weddings and civil partnership ceremonies. During the Hundred Years' War , Gravesend was raided by a Castilian fleet in 1380. In 1401, a further royal charter was granted, allowing the men of the town to operate boats between London and the town; these became known as
4510-416: The newly formed United States of America. It was redesigned and rebuilt in the mid-19th century to defend against a new generation of iron-clad French warships. By the start of the 20th century, the Thames defences had been moved further downriver to the estuary and the fort was disarmed. Its grounds were opened to the public as pleasure gardens, but the fort was taken back into military use temporarily during
4592-455: The old Dutch genitive article des , and translates into plain English as of the . In Brooklyn, New York , the neighbourhood of Gravesend is said by some to have been named for 's-Gravenzande, though its founding by the English religious dissenter Lady Deborah Moody in 1645 suggests that it may be named after Gravesend, England. Lady Deborah was originally from London and is credited with being
4674-524: The opposite side of the river, between 1882 and 1886, Gravesend was the Thames's first port of entry. Thousands of emigrants, as well as large numbers of troops, embarked from here. Tilbury Docks have expanded considerably since, with the closure of all the London Docks . The entrance to the Docks is somewhat awkward, situated as it is on the sharp bend of the river, and boats often need tugboat assistance, as do
4756-453: The parapets should be revised, and the number of guns reduced, so that they may be more effectively mounted." Proposals were advanced for this to be done and for the range of the guns to be extended by remounting them on modified carriages, but neither of these improvements were implemented. In 1905 the RML emplacements were replaced with two concrete pits for a pair of 6-inch breech-loading guns with
4838-531: The popular Disney animated film of the same name . At Fort Gardens is the New Tavern Fort , built during the 1780s and extensively rebuilt by Major-General Charles Gordon between 1865 and 1879; it is now the Chantry Heritage Centre , under the care of Gravesend Local History Society . The fort is a Scheduled monument . Journeys by road to Gravesend were historically quite hazardous, since
4920-586: The public as a garden. Fort House, the Commanding Royal Engineer's residence, was so badly damaged by a nearby V-2 rocket strike in 1944 that it had to be demolished; part of the Milton Chantry complex was also demolished in 1948. The Chantry's chapel was reused as Gravesend Historical Society's museum of local history from 1953 to 1970. In 1969, much of the rest of the Chantry was demolished. The remainder
5002-451: The rails on which the guns traversed. Doors on either side give access to the ammunition shafts which brought shells and cartridges up from the magazine. The shielded embrasure has been re-armed with an RML gun, making it a rare example of an embrasure of this type that has retained its original appearance. The southern sector of the rampart was known as the East Face, for its direction facing
SECTION 60
#17328549321635084-508: The river at that point. The impetus for the construction of New Tavern Fort came from the threat posed by the United Kingdom's adversaries in the American War of Independence - the newly created United States of America and its European allies, France and Spain. Serious weaknesses in British coastal defences had been revealed in 1778 by the American adventurer John Paul Jones in his raid on Whitehaven , Cumbria . The activities of his squadron on
5166-434: The river. It incorporates two small brick emplacements constructed in the 1860s. They originally housed a pair of traversing guns that fired en barbette . The entrance to the magazines is in the middle rampart and gives access to a 600-foot-long (180 m) and 4-foot-wide (1.2 m) brick tunnel which zig-zags under the rampart. Sixteen storage rooms serving as expense magazines for cartridges and shells are situated off
5248-415: The riverside by a flat-bottomed ditch within which was a pallisade made of timber standing about 3 metres (9.8 ft) high. The two batteries were armed with fifteen heavy guns (24 and 32 pdrs.) which fired through embrasures. Milton Chantry was incorporated into the fort's perimeter and was converted into an artillery barracks. By the 1790s, additional buildings had been constructed, including quarters for
5330-412: The ship had only sailed as far as Gravesend before Rebecca fell ill, and she died shortly after she was taken ashore. It is not known what caused her death. Her funeral and interment took place on 21 March 1617 at the parish church of St George, Gravesend . The site of her grave was underneath the church's chancel , though since the previous church was destroyed by fire in 1727 her exact resting place
5412-502: The statue as a gift to the British people in 1958, a gesture prompted by The Queen's visit to the USA in the previous year. In 2017, US Ambassador Matthew Barzun visited the statue to mark the 400th anniversary of the death and burial of Pocahontas in Gravesend. The Ambassador laid a floral tribute of 21 roses at its base, symbolising each year of Pocahontas' life. Windmill Hill, named after its former windmills, offers extensive views across
5494-430: The survey was carried out by the engineer Thomas Hyde Page. He recommended the refurbishment of the existing Tudor-era Tilbury Fort on the riverbank opposite Gravesend, and the construction of an entirely new fort to replace the older Gravesend Blockhouse, another Tudor-era fortification of which only traces now remain. The new fort would be located 250 metres (820 ft) to the east of the blockhouse, where it would have
5576-520: The term belief is used, Christians are most numerous at more than (49%), non-religious (32.1%) and third Sikhs (8%). Gravesend today is a commercial and commuter town, providing a local shopping district, including the St Georges shopping complex, the Thamesgate shopping centre and a regular farmers' market . It also used to have a Debenhams and Wilko, but they closed down. Gravesend market hall, in
5658-635: The tunnel, with ammunition lifts linking them to the gun positions above. The main magazine consisted of two cartridge and shell stores, from where the ammunition would be transported along the tunnel to the smaller expense stores. To ensure that there was no possibility of sparks or naked flames causing explosions, safety lighting was provided from behind glass screens while the magazine workers had to wear special magazine slippers and safety clothing to ensure that they could not create sparks when they moved. The magazines have been partly refurbished with displays illustrating how they were used and exhibits relating to
5740-468: The unusual complete example that it presents. Two salvaged 6-inch guns were reinstalled in the fort in the 1980s, making it the only completely armed two-gun battery of its type in the UK mainland. The magazines have also been refurbished and re-equipped to an extent that is unique in the UK. The fort's display of guns and emplacements dating from the 18th to the 20th century is also unique. Gravesend Gravesend / ˌ ɡ r eɪ v z ˈ ɛ n d /
5822-616: The words grafs-ham – a place "at the end of the grove". Frank Carr asserts that the name derives from the Saxon Gerevesend , the end of the authority of the Portreeve (originally Portgereve , chief town administrator). In the Netherlands , a place called 's-Gravenzande is found with its name translating into "Sand (or sandy area) belonging to the Count". The ' s is a contraction of
5904-454: The year 2010, of 30.9 °C and 31.7 °C. Another record was set during England's Indian summer of 2011 with 29.9 °C., the highest temperature ever recorded in the UK for October. In 2016 the warmest day of the year occurred very late on 13 September with a very high temperature of 34.4C Since 1990 the economy of Gravesham has changed from one based on heavy industry to being service-based . The borough's estimated population in 2012
5986-425: Was 101,700: a 6,000 increase in less than a decade. It has a high population density (almost 10 people per hectare) compared to nationally; it has a relatively young population (40% of the population are below 30); and 60% of the population are of working age. Based upon figures from the 2021 census, the second largest religious group in the borough are Sikhs who at that time made up 8% of the population. However, if
6068-403: Was built by the Gravesend Corporation in 1902–03 to supply local demand for electricity. It was built on the south side of the basin at the west end of the Thames and Medway canal . The buildings were demolished in 1995. The Thames has long been an important feature in Gravesend life, and may well have been the deciding factor for the first settlement there. One of the town's first distinctions
6150-583: Was built in 1322 by Aymer de Valence the Earl of Pembroke as a chantry chapel. Milton Chantry is all that remains of the Hospital of St. Mary the Virgin leper hospital. The purpose of a chantry chapel was to say prayers for the souls of the dead. Many wealthy people built chantry chapels and gave them land to generate an income, in order to maintain a priest to pray for the owner and his family. The Milton Chantry housed
6232-735: Was erected and lit in 1988, the 400th anniversary of the Armada. It was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I that the first windmill was placed at the highest point in Gravesend, 179 ft (55 m) overlooking the high-water mark of the river. One mill burnt down in 1763 but was replaced the following year and that too demolished in 1894. The last surviving windmill is reported as having been destroyed by fire during Mafeking Night celebrations in 1900. During World War I an Imperial German Navy airship passed over Windmill Hill, dropping bombs on it; today there are three markers indicating where these bombs struck. Gravesend power station (TQ 6575 7413)
6314-644: Was first thought up between 1950 and 1952 by Cdr Peter de Neumann , while he was captain of HMRC cutter Vigilant based at Gravesend Reach . This idea followed on from considering such incidents as the accidental ramming of HMS Truculent by the Divina in 1950, the collision with the Nore Forts by Baalbek , and the disastrous flooding of Canvey , Foulness and the East Coast in 1953. In these and other situations, rescue and intelligence gathering were severely hampered by
6396-401: Was in being given the sole right to transport passengers to and from London by water in the late 14th century. The "Tilt Boat" was a familiar sight as it sailed along the Thames, the passengers protected from the weather by a canvas tilt (awning). The first steamboat plied its trade between Gravesend and London in the early 19th century, bringing with it a steadily increasing number of visitors to
6478-560: Was overseeing the project. The fort had lost much of its importance by the turn of the 20th century. Advances in naval firepower meant that the principal line of defence for the Thames had been moved downriver to the batteries at Grain and Shoeburyness, where bigger guns with a longer range could control the entire estuary mouth. The old RML guns were now obsolete, while the emplacements provided little protection against modern naval artillery. A War Office report of 1887-8 commented that New Tavern Fort's "guns are crowded, and behind weak parapets;
6560-506: Was recently refurbished and now has a new bridge. Recorded as Gravesham in the Domesday Book of 1086 when it belonged to Odo, Earl of Kent and Bishop of Bayeux , the half-brother of William the Conqueror , its name probably derives from graaf-ham : the home of the reeve or bailiff of the lord of the manor . Another theory suggests that the name Gravesham may be a corruption of
6642-459: Was taken into state guardianship in 1972 and became a heritage centre operated by Gravesham Borough Council. Today the fort forms part of Gravesham Borough Council's Riverside Leisure Area. Its surface area is open all year round and the restored magazines are opened on summer weekends by a local heritage group. Restoration got underway in 1975, and in 1977 the fort was given a Grade II* listing for its architectural and historic interest, reflecting
6724-477: Was unveiled at Jamestown, Virginia in 1922. Queen Elizabeth II viewed this statue in 1957 and again on 4 May 2007, while visiting Jamestown on the 400th anniversary of foundation, it being the first successful English colonial settlement in America. On 5 October 1958, an exact replica of Partridge's statue was dedicated as a memorial to Pocahontas at St George's Parish Church . The Governor of Virginia presented
#162837