This Palmerstone fort was the smallest built in the mid-nineteetn century and was the first of the royal commision forts to be finished. It was completed by 1867 and had no problems in construction.

The fort was built in a D shape with seven casemates at the front and ancillarly buildings at the rear. It was built on a hillock above the marsh ground which was to be flooded in the event of an invasion.

It was to planned to be armed with 3 pdr Smooth Bore cannons which were delivered,but never mounted,instead they were replaced by 7x7" Rifled Breach Loader's. (RBL's)

In 1895 a massive new building programme was to install the new Breach Loading (BL) guns in wing batteries on each flank of the fort in open concrete emplacements. These were to be 2x9.2" BL guns and 2x6 " BL guns mounted on hydropneumatic disapearing carriages. A 1901 report only mentions the 9.2" guns and 4x Maxin machine guns.

At the end of the 19th century 2x12 pdr QF guns were provided for defence against fast attack craft. Also the front of the casemates was earthed over for additional protection and the magazines were sealed off at this stage,the casemates were only being used for accomodation from then onwards.

In 1909 the fort became the Thames port war signal station and the 9.2" wing gun battery rebuilt to take MK V guns en barbette,these guns were later transferred to Fletcher Battery (Isle of Sheppey). There is no record of  any armament at the fort during WWII.

The fort is near Allhallows-on-Sea,it is privatley owned and used by a riding school as stables.

Many thanks to the owners who allowed us to look around the fort.