History
Grain Tower is a mid-19th-century gun tower situated offshore just east of Grain, Kent, standing in the mouth of the River Medway. It was built along the same lines as the Martello Towers that were constructed along the British and Irish coastlines in the early 19th century and is the last-built example of a gun tower of this type. It owed its existence to the need to protect the important dockyards at Sheerness and Chatham from a perceived French naval threat during a period of tension in the 1850s.
Rapid improvements to artillery technology in the mid-19th century meant that the tower was effectively obsolete as soon as it had been completed. A proposal to turn it into a case mated fort was dropped for being too expensive. By the end of the 19th century the tower had gained a new significance as a defence against raids by fast torpedo boats. It was used in both the First and Second World Wars, when its fabric was substantially altered to support new quick-firing guns. It was decommissioned in 1956 and remains derelict today. The tower has been privately owned since 2005 and was reportedly sold to a new owner in 2014 for £400,000.
The Explore
I still can't believe I have never bothered visiting here after 22 years of living locally to it I thought it had to be done, great little slice of history lumped out on the water. While I was inside taking pictures I lost track of time and suddenly started to hear water splashing, oh sh*t balls
I went outside and yes thats right I was stuck. Thank god I remembered the essentials, cider. cider and more cider. A few hours in just chilling on my camping chair I got a call from @woody1112 and @Porker of the night saying they were on the shore and had a boat at the ready. It was like something out of a comedy sketch watching them both rock up ors waving and all, I was in stitches, made my night completely. Chilled and finished up the bevs, rude not to and set off back to shore, memories made.
On to the pictures
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Thanks for having a ganders
Grain Tower is a mid-19th-century gun tower situated offshore just east of Grain, Kent, standing in the mouth of the River Medway. It was built along the same lines as the Martello Towers that were constructed along the British and Irish coastlines in the early 19th century and is the last-built example of a gun tower of this type. It owed its existence to the need to protect the important dockyards at Sheerness and Chatham from a perceived French naval threat during a period of tension in the 1850s.
Rapid improvements to artillery technology in the mid-19th century meant that the tower was effectively obsolete as soon as it had been completed. A proposal to turn it into a case mated fort was dropped for being too expensive. By the end of the 19th century the tower had gained a new significance as a defence against raids by fast torpedo boats. It was used in both the First and Second World Wars, when its fabric was substantially altered to support new quick-firing guns. It was decommissioned in 1956 and remains derelict today. The tower has been privately owned since 2005 and was reportedly sold to a new owner in 2014 for £400,000.
The Explore
I still can't believe I have never bothered visiting here after 22 years of living locally to it I thought it had to be done, great little slice of history lumped out on the water. While I was inside taking pictures I lost track of time and suddenly started to hear water splashing, oh sh*t balls
I went outside and yes thats right I was stuck. Thank god I remembered the essentials, cider. cider and more cider. A few hours in just chilling on my camping chair I got a call from @woody1112 and @Porker of the night saying they were on the shore and had a boat at the ready. It was like something out of a comedy sketch watching them both rock up ors waving and all, I was in stitches, made my night completely. Chilled and finished up the bevs, rude not to and set off back to shore, memories made.On to the pictures
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Thanks for having a ganders
Graff" considering it"s accessibility to shore.
