Forts · South East England
New Tavern Fort
In or near Southfleet.
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 remaine
Chris Whippet — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 45 min–1.5 h
- Nearest railway station
- Gravesend · 0.7 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
New Tavern Fort is located in Gravesham, Kent, with the nearest railway station being Gravesend, which is 0.7 km away. The postcode for the site is DA12 2BF. Entry details are not provided, so please check ahead for accessibility information.
About
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 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 temporarily taken back into military use during 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.
Photo gallery
360° viewimagery from 2025
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Official information
Milton Chantry is the oldest building in Gravesend, originally built as a leper hospital in 1322. It has served various purposes over the centuries and now houses a collection of local heritage items, including Roman artifacts.
From the Wikipedia article
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 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 temporarily taken back into military use during 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.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Architecture
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 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.
Visiting
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. 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.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.4436, 0.3768
- County
- Kent
- District
- Gravesham
- Parish
- Gravesham, unparished area
- Postcode
- DA12 2BF
- Parliamentary constituency
- Gravesham
- Phone
- 01474 337600
- Established
- 1780
- Nearest railway station
- Gravesend — 0.7 km
- Opening
- Weekends and bank holidays noon–5pm from April to September; closed October to April.
- Official site
- www.english-heritage.org.uk
Sources
- wikipedia: New Tavern Fort (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is New Tavern Fort?
- New Tavern Fort is in Kent, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode DA12 2BF), in the parish of Gravesham, unparished area.
- What is New Tavern Fort?
- 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 remaine
- How do I get to New Tavern Fort?
- The nearest railway station is Gravesend, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode DA12 2BF.
- When was New Tavern Fort built?
- Built or established in 1780.
- How do I get to New Tavern Fort?
- The nearest railway station is Gravesend, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode DA12 2BF.