The Red Sand Forts, Whitstable, England
The Red Sand Forts
WWII Defence
The Red Sand Sea forts form part of the Maunsell Sea forts and constitute one of the three defensive structures built in the Thames estuary. They were built and inhabited by soldiers in WWII and designed to defend the area from potential attacks by Nazi Germany via air and sea. The sea forts’ strategic location helped to protect the shipping lines leading to the Port of London, particularly important at a time when many ships were being lost to German mines in the region.
The forts are credited with shooting down 22 enemy aircraft and 30 flying bombs, many still lie in the waters around them. They also played an integral part in the sinking of a U-boat.
Looking like something from Star Wars today, they originally had entry ladders, now sawn off, and bridges, which linked the forts together. During their operational years, each of the Maunsell forts had over 100 men at any given time. These soldiers were stationed for 6 weeks each rotation and tasked with maintaining and manning the anti-aircraft guns from atop each of the forts. The crews remained active until the end of the war and continued to occupy the forts until 1958, when they were stripped and left abandoned.
In the 1960s, the forts became home to pirate radio stations such as Invicta Radio and Screaming Lord Sutch’s Radio Station. The pirate radio stations were eventually shut down in 1967 following a high court ruling against illegal broadcasting, leaving the forts abandoned once again.
Currently, the forts remain deserted, but a charity called Project Redsand is planning to restore them and establish the world’s very first offshore museum.
View of the Thames Estuary from Whitstable beach
Deadman’s Island
Just off the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, about 40 miles from London, lies the island aptly named Deadman’s Island. Though this uninhabited island is off-limits to tourists without a permit due to its status as a bird preserve, it can be seen just off the coast near the town of Queenborough, not far from Whitstable in the Thames estuary.
Deadman’s Island gets its name from the wooden coffins and skeletal remains that started to appear on the island thanks to coastal erosion. This is particularly evident in Coffin Bay, where scattered human remains become visible at low tide.
The Isle of Sheppey is known for its prisons today, and this was no different in the 17 and 1800s when prisoners were kept on prison hulks or floating prisons near the Isle of Sheppey. Those who were not fit enough to be shipped off to Australia ended up on these prison hulks where they often succumbed to infectious diseases such as cholera and typhoid. The bodies of the dead boys and men were buried in unmarked shallow graves on this island to try to contain the disease and stop the spread.
Local folklore tells of tales related to the island. It is said to be haunted by hellhounds with red eyes that can be heard howling in the night that are rumored to feed off the brains of the dead.
Looking out onto the Thames Eastuary
The SS Richard Montgomery
Aside from coffins and human remains, the Thames Estuary also harbors a decisively dangerous presence in the waters not far from shore. The SS Richard Montgomery, a US liberty ship filled with explosives, ran aground on a sandbank and subsequently sank in August 1944. The ship remains where it sunk over 80 years ago and still contains over 1,400 tonnes of explosives in its holds. Fortunately, it is clearly marked in an exclusion zone with warning signs fastened to its masts that can still be seen protruding from the water.
Boat trips from the Whitstable harbour
Top Tips
Though the sea forts are visible from the beach, the best way to see them is via a boat tour. Whitstable boat trips have a hut at the Whitstable Harbor, where tickets can be purchased on the day. You can also book online via their webpage. The tour takes about an hour and gets you up close to the forts, though you cannot go into them for obvious safety reasons. The tours operate all year but are weather dependent. Prices for the sea forts are 40 pounds per person, with discounts for children. Dogs are allowed on the boat as well.
https://www.whitstableboattrips.co.uk/
Address
Whitstable Harbour, CT5 1AB