Fort Bridgewoods facts for kids

Fort Bridgewoods was once a military fort located near Rochester in Medway, United Kingdom. It sits right next to the Rochester-Maidstone road. Around 1860, the War Office bought this land. Their plan was to build a circle of forts. These forts would protect the important Royal Dockyard in Chatham.

Building the Fort

The original idea was to build a long line of forts. This line would stretch from the River Medway all the way to the Thames. However, there wasn't enough money for this big plan. So, only five large forts and two smaller earth forts were built.

Work on Fort Bridgewoods began in 1890. This was about 30 years after the land was bought. The fort was built using the labor of convicts. When the plan for the forts started, France was seen as a possible enemy. But by 1890, France had become an ally. The new concern was Imperial Germany.

Because of money limits, the fort didn't have fixed big guns. Instead, earthen ramps were built. These ramps allowed field artillery to fire from the fort's walls. Fort Bridgewoods was very different from older forts. It was made mostly of earth. It also had a deep, dry ditch around it. This design helped it blend in with the land. Inside the earthen walls were places for storing supplies and living quarters.

A new, large prison was built nearby. It was on a hill above the village of Borstal. This prison housed the workers for the fort. Later, it became a prison for young offenders. This is how the "Borstal Institution" system got its name.

Fort Railway

Four of the forts in the area were connected by a special railway. These were Luton, Horsted, Bridgewoods, and Borstal. The railway tracks were 18 in (457 mm) wide. Convicts pulled the wagons to move building materials between the forts.

Building materials arrived by barge on the River Medway. They were unloaded at a quay in Borstal. Then, a steam-powered ropeway pulled them up a steep slope. This brought the materials to Fort Borstal. From there, they were loaded onto the railway. Armed guards on horseback watched over the prisoners. The railway was used until about 1905.

You can still see some of the original railway lines today. They are in the floor of a cow-shed at the prison farm. This building used to be the railway workshop. If you look from the air, you can even see the path of a section of the track. It runs between Fort Bridgewood and Fort Horsted.

World Wars

After it was finished, Fort Bridgewoods was not always in use. It only had soldiers there sometimes until the start of the First World War. In the early 1900s, the Royal Engineers even blew up one corner of the fort. They did this on purpose during a training exercise.

After repairs, the fort was mostly forgotten. But in the late 1930s, it became important again. Trials for new gun laying radar technology happened there. With radar installed, Fort Bridgewoods became a headquarters. It controlled anti-aircraft guns in the Thames Estuary. The nearby forts, Horsted and Borstal, became very modern anti-aircraft batteries.

The Nuclear Age

After the Second World War, nuclear bombs were developed. Because of this, new protected headquarters were needed. These were built at Fort Bridgewoods in the early 1950s.

However, soon after they were finished, the Anti-Aircraft Command was shut down. The site was then used for Civil Defence training. This meant preparing for emergencies like attacks. In 1960, the protected headquarters became the main office for London (south). It stayed in use until the early 1970s.

In 1975, the site was sold to a company that builds properties. They quickly tore down the fort and the bunker. The land was empty for several years. Today, it is a Royal Mail depot. Part of the fort's original area is now home to UK Vending Ltd. Their address is even "Fort Bridgewood."