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The Maunsell Sea Forts

Location

Thames estuary

United Kingdom

51° 27' 51.66" N, 0° 58' 16.7412" E

See map: Google Maps

GB

General info:

During the WWII, British army built small fortified towers along the Thames and Mersey estuaries in order to protect the United Kingdom from German invasion. These forts were the first line of defence, but after the war they stopped being important for the military. In the mid-fifties the British army decided that they no longer needed the forts and left them behind.

The winds and waves did nothing to the forts as they were built to endure much harder conditions. Today, these over 70-years- old structures are a symbol of defiance to invaders. Many famous artists get their inspiration from the Maunsell forts. For example, the band ‘Prodigy’ featured them in the video for their hit ‘Invadors Must Die’.

Getting there:

The Maunsell Sea Fortrs are located in the estuaries of the rivers Thames and Mersey. There are companies organizing boat tours to see the fortrs, for example http://x-pilot.co.uk/services.htm.

On a clear day you can also see the forts from Shoeburyness East Beach.

Costs:

Price info for the tours not available.

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