Instantly recognisable, the forts, which were built in 1943 and designed by Guy Maunsell, feature prominently on the horizon off the Kent coast. “The winter fog and lack of visibility added to the mystery of the forts.”. Already in the late 50-ies of the last century the structures were out of order and stopped being used. Guy Maunsell, a civil engineer in England, designed forts that could be built on land and then installed out at sea in 1942. Currently it is dangerous to climb to the forts because the stairs have been removed and most of … The buildings on top of these legs were made of steel, had two floors, and measured 36 feet by 36 feet. For many, an assignment at the forts was cold, isolating, and long. We organized a bedroom, a kitchen, an office/technology room and a “bathroom“. Pictured is the handle of the door to one of the sea Maunsell forts Advertisement There are quotation marks because it didn't deserve its name. Rough Sands (HM Fort Roughs) (U1) 2. Sep 23, 2016 - Inside the Maunsell Sea Forts that you all seem to love - abandoned, inside, maunsell, forts, love. I toured two Ellis Island hospitals that have been abandoned for almost 65 years. In the past there were plenty of boat tours that approached the Maunsell Sea Forts and even let people take a look inside of them but nowadays organized tours are rare. Seeing photos of the Maunsell Forts is one thing, but, seeing them in person from the lower perspective of the water surface is another vista entirely. A few years ago, I saw a photograph of the Maunsell Sea Forts and was captivated by the structures and their presence in the North Sea. One of the forts is managed by the unrecognised Principality of Sealand; boats visit the remaining forts occasionally, and a consortium called Project Redsands is pl… Although the buildings are still standing, they have remained unoccupied for decades. They can be viewed from Shoeburyness East Beach on clear, cloudless summer days. They were built during the Second World War at the mouth of the Mercy and Thames rivers. The Maunsell Sea Forts were built in 1942 and decommissioned in the 1950’s. They were left abandoned in 1958 but some of them still stand to this day. The Maunsell Forts are a group of nine WW2 army and navy defence forts located off-shore near the South East coast of England. In all, there were four Navy forts and three Army forts placed in the Thames Estuary. Maunsell Forts from a distance heading back to Whitstable Harbour, England (at sunset). These military forts were a part of the Thames defense network, primarily designed to be the anti-aircraft tower-forts. Physical and mechanical properties of the materials used. Jun 5, 2015 - This Pin was discovered by Sin Ister. Their role was to detect, deter, and report German air raids and military movements around the River Thames, such as attempts to lay water mines along the estuary and sabotage this important shipping channel. Keep scrolling to learn more about these forts and what they look like today. The top portions of the forts were constructed with sheets of iron riveted together in a two-story structure. The four naval forts were Rough Sands, Sunk Head, Tongue Sands, and Knock John. The designs were quite out there, but the designs were approved and a number of off shore forts were constructed between 1942 and 1943. The three Army forts were called Nore, Red Sands, and Shivering Sands. Take a look inside. “The forts had this rust and patina on the surface of the metal sides and you could see how they were constructed in plates riveted together,” Amling told Insider. Maunsell's Naval Forts The sea forts were designed by Mr. Over an eight-day trip in the southern part of England, I drove 673 miles and visited a number of interesting locations (and more round-a-bouts than I care to count!). The forts helped the British to defend and attack from the middle of the sea, making it confusing and daunting for the attackers to cause significant damage. After the war, the forts became the headquarters for pirate radio stations. We lived in the main fort, which was connected to the middle fort by a suspension bridge. Although collectively known as Maunsell forts, there are two distinct designs with different purposes. The 3 most known structures of Maunsell sea forts are the Army style fort-the Red Sands, Navy style fort-knock John and the artificial owl. The boat trip took 30 minutes and it rained the entire time. While in operation, the forts shot down 22 planes and 30 bombs. Some boat tours still take people to the sites of the forts, though, and you can see more on that here. Doing these 24 uncomfortable things will pay off forever, Yes, Apple just killed iTunes — here's what that means for your library of music, movies, and TV shows. The "easiest" Maunsell Forts to travel to from the mainland are located in the Red Sands area of the Thames Estuary, North Sea, located about six miles out from Whitstable Harbour. Here's what it was like. The Maunsell Forts are armed towers built in the Thames and Mersey estuaries during the Second World War to help defend the United Kingdom. The sea forts of Maunsell are one of the most unusual military installations, that are by fate in ruins. The forts were assembled in the local harbor and floated out to the locations and sunk in about 50 feet of water in 1942-1943. Although I had rain gear, the boat crew loaned me heavy weather gear and tethered me to the boat! Sometimes in adventure photography, you need a little luck and a worthy partner to help you achieve your goal. Sep 23, 2016 - Inside the Maunsell Sea Forts that you all seem to love - abandoned, inside, maunsell, forts, love. The abandoned Gwrych Castle in North Wales is 200 years old and said to be haunted. It is made up of several once interconnected towers north of Herne Bay and is 9.2 miles from the nearest land. At any given time, there were 265 men living on each fort. Likes: 539 Like Collect. ; After the war, the forts … The Maunsell Army and Navy forts were built and placed in the Thames Estuary in 1942 to help protect London from airstrikes and sea raids during World War II. After I researched the forts and found out about their history during WW II, I was even more interested in seeing them in person. They were constructed in dry doc… Tags: abandoned, inside, maunsell, forts, love. These round structures were connected by a path. They were operated as army and navy forts, and named after their designer, Guy Maunsell. With the extreme tide swings for the North Sea in the winter, meant there was no water in the early part of the day and only enough water to get in and out of Whitstable Harbour in the late afternoon. The Maunsell Army and Navy forts were built and placed in the Thames Estuary in 1942 to help protect London from airstrikes and sea raids during World War II. The Best Snapchat Games To Play Right Now, Disable UPnP On Your Wireless Router Already, This Android Wallpaper Can Brick Your Phone, Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories, designed forts that could be built on land. The problem was not the boat nor an experienced Captain, the problem was the weather and extreme tides of the North Sea. The Maunsell Army and Navy forts in the Thames Estuary once guarded the UK against bombs, but today, they are dilapidated, abandoned structures that you can only reach by boat. 4:16. Maunsell sea forts, built in the Thames estuary and operated by the Royal Navy, were to deter and report German air raids following the Thames as a landmark, and attempts to lay minesby aircraft in this important shipping channel. Like a lot of my desired travel destinations, I would put the forts on my “places to visit list” and never really thought about them after that. The forts were decommissioned in the late 1950s and later used for other activities including pirate radio broadcasting. The Maunsell Forts are armed offshore towers built in the Thames waters during the WWII in order to help defend the United Kingdom from the Nazi invasion.They were operated as navy and army forts and named after their designer, Guy Maunsell. Prev Next … The North Sea in January can be unpredictable, very cold and wet time as well (average in January is three inches of rain) and, with the moisture and high winds, the temperature is much colder than indicated. At the start of the war Guy Maunsell created plans to build off shore forts, built on concrete bases. ... the Maunsell Army Forts in the Thames Estuary are decaying reminders of the darkest days of World War II. Because of the inclement weather, we moved the boat trip up a day, so, the boat ride out to visit the Maunsell forts was the very first thing I did and photographed after I landed in London-Heathrow. Shivering Sands Army Fort [U7] was a Maunsell army fort built near the Thames estuary for anti-aircraft defence. Take a look inside the famously creepy Winchester House, which has 160 rooms, staircases that lead to nowhere, and doors that open into walls. There were four naval forts: 1. BB Code: Web/Blog: More Photos Tags: abandoned, inside, maunsell, forts, love. Tongue Sands (U3) 4. In the mouth of the Thames and on the River Mersey, closer to the mainland, there were three forts. The sky was very grey and the water was a muddy brown adding to the effect of the photograph as well. However, when I started to plan a trip to England in early 2018, I began to map out a visit to the forts. All the fortifications are known as the Maunsell Forts, but there are two different projects that had a different mission. After the war, the forts became the headquarters for pirate radio stations. We ended moving the day up to get a clear three-hour window in the afternoon (see cell phone photo below of weather forecast for that afternoon). The forts were assembled in the local harbor and floated out to the locations and sunk in about 50 feet of water in 1942-1943. The patina on the metal surfaces of the forts is really extraordinary and gives the final photo of them an "other-worldly" quality. [Image: The Maunsell Sea Forts, photographed by Pete Speller, courtesy of Nick Sowers].. Here’s what they’re like inside. Give us your thoughts on these small business practices to win a $250 Westfield gift card, How COVID-19 is ravaging two cities across the US-Mexico border, with no end in sight. Read More Related Articles Built in 1829 and abandoned since the ’70s, Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary is one of the creepiest places in America. When I called around to hire a boat, there were no boats in the water for hire (all had been pulled for the winter); but, as in Florida during Hurricane Harvey (see Dome Home blog), I found the perfect Captain, who thought I was a crazy American, but, up for the challenge. ... There’s an urban explorer blog (28 Days Later) which shows photos of rooms inside the legs (these are filled with Greenpeace gear and 50s pin up posters). Part one : the World War Two naval sea forts of the Thames Estuary | Imperial War Museums Time elapse video is the trip to the Maunsell Sea Forts in the Thames Estuary. Shivering Sands Fort’s pirate radio history. More Pictures. In About-Face, UK Will Not Allow Huawei To Be Involved In Any Part Of... Universal Orlando Parks Will Reopen June 5 Despite Risk Of... Pro-Privacy Lawmakers Secure A Vote To Protect Browsing Data From... Jurassic World: Dominion Is Definitely Not The Planned End Of The... White Twitch Talk Show Host Finally Drops 'Rajj Patel' Moniker, Everything We Know About The PlayStation 5. HM Fort Roughs was one of several World War II installations that were designed by Guy Maunsell and known collectively as His Majesty's Forts or as Maunsell Sea Forts; its purpose was to guard the port of Harwich, Essex, and more broadly, the Thames estuary.This 4,500 ton artificial naval installation is similar in some respects to "fixed" offshore oil platforms. Follow Business Insider Australia on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. A total of three sea forts under the control of the Army were constructed in 1941/42 to protect the vital shipping lane and air corridor along the River Thames which had suffered greatly from magnetic sea mines dropped by German aircraft. I moved to the US from China — here are the biggest cultural differences I've noticed between the 2 countries, Bath & Body Works is now a standalone company — we visited a store and saw why it's been L Brands' secret weapon, CBA and NAB pass on RBA interest rate cut in full, but ANZ and Westpac defy Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's orders, How to watch Netflix on your TV in 5 different ways, The incredible story of Ferrari's 72-year journey from an upstart racing team to a $27 billion luxury brand, The Maunsell Army and Navy forts were built and placed in the Thames Estuary in 1942 to help protect London from airstrikes and sea raids during. your own Pins on Pinterest Prev Next Report. In the winter, storms can come up in the North Sea within a few hours and high winds with a small boat could be a problem in the open sea. Maunsell Sea Forts, Red Sands, North Sea, England (January, 2018). According to the Maunsell Sea Forts website, in the past there were plenty of boat tours that approached the forts and even let people take a look inside of them but nowadays organised tours are rare. Forecast showed sun and light winds, but, that was not the case. Sunk Head (U2) 3. In addition, at the mouth of the Thames there were four more sea forts. Even though they don’t look like much these days, the Maunsell forts once helped keep the UK safe. I have used his booklet "Maunsell Sea Forts" (Revised Edition ISBN 01-901132-01-3) to write the remainder of this article about these fascinating structures. Contents on inside front cover, bibliography on inside back cover The Maunsell Sea Forts. Inside the Maunsell Sea Forts that you all seem to love . Seeing photos of the Maunsell Forts is one thing, but, seeing them in person from the lower perspective of the water surface is another vista entirely. Each of the towers stood on four concrete legs. Photorator photo. Discover (and save!) The country needed to develop a plan to protect themselves from the Germans on the coast. We took a 4-hour flight on the new Delta Airbus jet that Boeing tried to keep out of the US. The Maunsell Forts are a group of seven towers that all have a function of their own. Maunsell’s clever strategy of ‘take to the sea’ thwarted some serious attacks during WWII from the Luftwaffe. “[It’s] hard to imagine that men were stationed out there in these iron cans above the water firing anti-plane guns at the German bombers and mostly at night,” Amling said. Weather window for three hours - rained the entire time! Exploring inside of an abandoned sea fort Horse Sands which is one of the Solent forts between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. A 69-year old prisoner is trying to change that one livestream at a time. Maunsell sea forts was usually built using steel and concrete. Inside a Domed Pyramid With Astounding Acoustics and a History of Miracles . Prisoners are 5 times more likely to get COVID-19 than the overall population. She said the huge forts are almost completely empty on the inside and the rusty walls are stripped bare. I am lucky to have located the perfect boat and Captain and very glad for the opportunity to visit a piece of WW II history and witness some English engineering and ingenuity. Only two still stand today. The two cylindrical columns gave support to the flatbed where the navy forts sat. The Maunsell naval forts were built in the Thames Estuary and were operated by the Royal Navy. The Maunsell Forts are armed offshore towers built in the Thames waters during the WWII in order to help defend the United Kingdom from the Nazi invasion.They were operated as navy and army forts and named after their designer, Guy Maunsell. One of the forts still remaining—Red Sands Army Fort—sits rusting off the coast of England's Herne Bay. 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