The imposing stone walls, with added towers for catapults, of a Roman 3rd-century ‘Saxon Shore’ fort. Panoramic views over Breydon Water, into which the fourth wall long since collapsed. Where the waters of the Yare river and the Waveney unite, in the extreme N.E. of the county, to form the Breydon Broad, there are on […]
Tilbury Fort
The artillery fort at Tilbury on the Thames estuary protected London’s seaward approach from the 16th century through to World War II. Henry VIII built the first fort here, and Queen Elizabeth famously rallied her army nearby to face the threat of the Armada. The present fort was begun in 1672 under Charles II: it […]
Landguard Fort
The site of the last opposed invasion of England in 1667 and the first land battle of the Royal Marines. The current fort was built in the 18th century, and modified in the 19th century with substantial additional 19th/20th-century outside batteries. Guided tours and audio tours of the fort are supplemented by a DVD presentation […]
Hadleigh Castle
The romantic ruins of a royal castle overlooking the Essex marshes. Hadleigh was begun in about 1215 by Hubert de Burgh, but extensively refortified by Edward III during the Hundred Years War, becoming a favourite residence of the ageing king. The barbican and two striking drum towers – one later used by Georgian revenue men […]
Berkhamstead Castle
The substantial remains of a strong and important motte and bailey castle dating from the 11th to 13th centuries, with surrounding walls, ditches and earthworks. A palace complex was added in the 13th century. The situation of this place is said by Stukeley to correspond with the Roman station of Durocobrivae ; then it became […]