Landguard Fort, Suffolk

ivan burit · Landguard Fort, Suffolk

I spent a great day today visiting the old Landguard Fort and surrounding "batteries".

A group from the JMT200 / friends of Martello Tower went along in a mini bus.

We were priviliged enough to have the Forts tour guides waiting for our arrival, and were shown every nook and cranny, and more, and we have to thank the Forts guides for exceptional service to our group.

For us it was strange to view the 2 Martello Towers in essex, from Suffolk.

We then went further round the suffolk coast to view the other easy access on 2 more Martello Towers.

amenity2

This may or not really be relevant but a good excuse to put up this picture.

I have mentioned the ugly fence around the "War Department" where Dovercourt Bay finishes. Not very pretty for the tourists and rather than keeping the children out it keeps the coppers out.

Anyway in the background across the river estuary just to the right would be Landguard point.

amenity2

Taken later shows Languard point more clearly.

ivan burit

Indeed Amenity, your 1st photo shows a building very much the same as on the shoreline side of landguards.
we were told they were WW2 editions to the defences.

we also looked at WW1 batteries that had been covered with earth/shingle untill 10 years ago,
but due to "funding" problems,
are normaly fenced off from visitors, while just over the hill, we were excluded from further inspection of more WW2 buildings,
as they were now RSPB "protected"
but filled with twitchers looking at us with binoculors!
There is now 3 big cranes on the port adjacent to the Fort, but now classed as derelict, one even having a perigrine falcon`s nest?, while ongoing pile driving goes on for the new ports sxpansion.
we were also told the foreshore infront of the Fort will be built up as a visitors car park, so being reclaimed from the sea also.

amenity2

Been in all of these buildings Ivan controlling view over the entrance to the harbour.

The Gun positions are still marked by huge stainless steel stud screws set radially in the concrete.

The machine gun posts are probably still usable.

Workings are here that date from Napoleonic times with connecting underground passageways.

Plenty of wildlife too.

And the kids can escape through the holes in the fence but Mr Plod would be too large, Ha! Ha!

ivan burit

I found the days visit fantastic Amenity.

I`ve not been to lots of simular places,
only a few yet.

The Nothe Fort Weymouth is built very much the same, but may be bigger.

The Verne ONLY from the outside!

WW2`s Mistley bunker.

The "secret" nuclear bunker at Doddinghurst.

Plus of course our 200 year old Martello Towers.

ivan burit

Amenity,
heres a good link for Subterrania

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/873564/posts

ivan burit

There must be more out there still not "uncovered" yet.

amenity2

War is costly don't you think Ivan?

Inflation being what it is, recently they built a loo for that money!

Bet the roads needed mending in Jaywick even in those days?

"The Mistley Anti Aircraft Operations Room was built in 1951 for the Royal Artillery (War Office), it is built to the standard design with one floor and both entrances above ground and the other floor below ground.

The Bunker was sold to Essex County Council in 1963 for £5250 (It had cost £500,000 to build in 1951) "

ivan burit

Hate to think just how much was spent at the "secret" nuclear bunker then Amenity,
as even that was upgraded during its lifetime.

£500,000..........hmmm
jaywicks roads.....£cost projections...hmmmmm

In 2006 the big pooh bars wanted to "do" the roads,
in 2009 now during the spiralling costs of the un-glorious 2012 games, no one wants to do them.