Post by Spooky on Feb 27, 2008 13:47:40 GMT
I shall be leading this PT investigation:
In 1667 a raid by the Dutch led to a major review of the defences of the South Coast and the Royal Dockyard at Chatham, known today at the 'Historic Dockyard'. Amongst the recommendations eventually implemented around the 1750's was the building of defensive fortifications known as the Great Lines. These were designed to protect the dockyard from attack and the route to London. The fortification at Chatham was called Fort Amherst, built on a ditch and rampart principle as many others of the same period.
However, there was one major difference at Amherst, that being the underground tunnel system which was built between 1776 and 1805. The tunnels link many areas of the fort and provided an excellent protection against any siege. At its peak Fort Amherst had a complement of 125 guns, which were mainly 24-pounders. A system of three defended gateways with ditches (at Chatham, Brompton & Gillingham) meant that the Dockyard and the other military barracks of the time could be isolated from the surrounding towns and countryside.
Only the Chatham Gatehouse with its reconstruction of the Napoleonic barracks survive today. Amherst was not modified during Queen Victoria's reign and is therefore probably the best surviving example of Georgian military architecture. As well as being a defensive fortification it was also heavily used as a training camp, for the 'Great Siege Operations', up until the early 1900's.
It was finally vacated by the Civil Defence in 1956 and the site was purchased from the MOD by Fort Amherst & Lines Trust in 1980. It was opened to the general public a few years later and is a popular visitor attraction still open today. The trust have spent many hard years restoring areas, such as the tunnels, Gatehouse, Great Barrier Ditch, Haxo casemate and main magazine as well as many of the original gun batteries.
In 1667 a raid by the Dutch led to a major review of the defences of the South Coast and the Royal Dockyard at Chatham, known today at the 'Historic Dockyard'. Amongst the recommendations eventually implemented around the 1750's was the building of defensive fortifications known as the Great Lines. These were designed to protect the dockyard from attack and the route to London. The fortification at Chatham was called Fort Amherst, built on a ditch and rampart principle as many others of the same period.
However, there was one major difference at Amherst, that being the underground tunnel system which was built between 1776 and 1805. The tunnels link many areas of the fort and provided an excellent protection against any siege. At its peak Fort Amherst had a complement of 125 guns, which were mainly 24-pounders. A system of three defended gateways with ditches (at Chatham, Brompton & Gillingham) meant that the Dockyard and the other military barracks of the time could be isolated from the surrounding towns and countryside.
Only the Chatham Gatehouse with its reconstruction of the Napoleonic barracks survive today. Amherst was not modified during Queen Victoria's reign and is therefore probably the best surviving example of Georgian military architecture. As well as being a defensive fortification it was also heavily used as a training camp, for the 'Great Siege Operations', up until the early 1900's.
It was finally vacated by the Civil Defence in 1956 and the site was purchased from the MOD by Fort Amherst & Lines Trust in 1980. It was opened to the general public a few years later and is a popular visitor attraction still open today. The trust have spent many hard years restoring areas, such as the tunnels, Gatehouse, Great Barrier Ditch, Haxo casemate and main magazine as well as many of the original gun batteries.