Barton's Point Coastal Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Barton's Point Coastal Park
Barton's point Canal (between Barton's Point and Queenborough)
Area	40 acres (160,000 m2)
Created	1971 (1971)
Operated by	Kent County Council,
Open	All Year, 7 days a week, dawn until dusk
Website	[1]

Location in Kent

Barton's Point Coastal Park is a fun and historic park located on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, England. You can find it between the towns of Minster and Sheerness.

The park is famous for its long canal, which was once a military ditch. This ditch stretches from Marine Parade near the coast towards West Minster, a part of Sheerness. It's a great place to explore and learn about the past!

Park History: Protecting the Dockyard

Barton's Point has a really interesting military past. It was super important for defending the Sheerness Royal Navy dockyard.

Early Defenses (1600s-1700s)

• In 1667, the Dutch Navy attacked the dockyard. This made people realize they needed better defenses on land.
• So, a plan was made to build a flooded ditch with two half-forts, called 'Queenborough' and 'Minster'.
• These defenses were started in 1667 and finished by 1685.
• Later, in 1782, the ditch was made even longer, connecting the River Medway in the west to the River Thames in the east.

Queenborough Lines (1800s)

• In 1860, a special group decided the dockyard needed even more protection on its land side.
• Instead of building big forts, they decided to create a long earth wall across the Sheerness area. These were called the 'Queenborough Lines'.
• The land for these defenses was bought in 1860.
• The Queenborough Lines were completed in 1868 and stretched for about 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles).
• This defensive wall, called a rampart, was made of earth and shingle. It was about 15 to 17 meters wide and 1.9 to 2.5 meters high.
• A bridge crossed these lines, leading from Halfway into Sheerness and the dockyard.

Barton's Point Battery (Late 1800s - Early 1900s)

• Between 1889 and 1891, the Barton's Point Artillery Battery was built. This was a place with big guns to protect the mouth of the River Medway.
• In 1895, four large cannons were installed: two 9.2-inch guns and two 6-inch guns. These were powerful weapons!
• A rifle range was added in front of the canal in 1899 for training.
• By 1905, two machine guns were also put in place.
• However, by 1914, the battery was no longer used and was partly taken apart.
• All the guns were removed in 1926, and the site became a training base instead.

World War II and Beyond

• During World War II, four air raid shelters were built along the canal to protect people from bombs. These shelters are now sealed off.
• In June 2012, the Queenborough Lines became a listed ancient monument. This means they are protected because of their historical importance.
• The battery site was later used as a holiday camp.
• Today, the Queenborough Lines are often called 'Canal Bank' by local people.

Fun at the Coastal Park

Barton's Point Coastal Park is a fantastic place for outdoor activities and family fun!

Activities and Trails

• You can enjoy many outdoor activities here, like cycling, water sports, and walking.
• There are special walking trails along the historic canal.
• The park's lake is perfect for fishing, sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, and canoeing. You can buy fishing permits at The Boat House Café.
• In 2013, some dead fish were found in the lake. Experts investigated and found no harmful water issues. It was just a natural seasonal event.

Cycling and Model Clubs

• The Sheerness Way cycling route goes right through the park. It follows the Queenborough Lines towards Sheerness.
• The park is home to the 'Sheppey Model Engineering Society'. They offer exciting miniature steam train rides on their Model 0-4-0T Steam Locomotive No.93 'Janine'.
• If you like model airplanes, the 'Bartons Point Model Flying Club' uses a field in the park for flying their planes.

Sea Cadets and Play Area

• The Sheppey Sea Cadet Unit No 301 moved to the park in 1954. They are part of the Navy League Sea Cadet Corps, which started in 1942.
• In 2011, a large and exciting children’s Adventure Play Area was opened.
• Children from The Isle of Sheppey Academy helped design it! It was built with £87,000 from the Big Lottery.

Park Events

• The park often hosts fun events.
• In May, a funfair comes to the park.
• In June, the Harmony Folk Festival takes place.
• In July, the Minster Rotary Club organizes the exciting Island raft race.