11/15/2005: Maunsell sea forts

Undertoad · 11-15-2005, 06:09 PM

Multiple people submitted this recent find which makes me think it somehow made the rounds. From the underground Kent website, the sort of site every locale should have:

The Thames Estuary Army Forts were constructed in 1942 to a design by Guy Maunsell, following the successful construction and deployment of the Naval Sea Forts. Their purpose was to provide anti-aircraft fire within the Thames Estuary area. Each fort consisted of a group of seven towers with a walkway connecting them all to the central control tower. The fort, when viewed as a whole, comprised one Bofors tower, a control tower, four gun towers and a searchlight tower. They were arranged in a very specific way, with the control tower at the centre, the Bofors and gun towers arranged in a semi-circular fashion around it and the searchlight tower positioned further away, but still linked directly to the control tower via a walkway. All the forts followed this plan and, in order of grounding, were called the Nore Army Fort, the Red Sands Army Fort and finally the Shivering Sands Army Fort. All three forts were in place by late 1943, but Nore is no longer standing. Construction of the towers was relatively quick, and they were easily floated out to sea and grounded in water no more than 30m (100ft) deep.

Huh. I thought they were those walkers from The Empire Strikes Back.

Griff · 11-15-2005, 06:14 PM

mmm... Condos. What color are you going to paint yours?

xoxoxoBruce · 11-15-2005, 06:40 PM

With my luck, Homer Simpson would move in next door. All the inconvenience of a light house and neighbors too.

Oafed · 11-15-2005, 07:48 PM

Hmm... Can you buy 'underwater' land?? I wanna build my own place.

Happy Monkey · 11-15-2005, 07:58 PM

(As I said when I was one of the multiple submitters)

It looks like something out of Myst.

xoxoxoBruce · 11-15-2005, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oafed

Hmm... Can you buy 'underwater' land?? I wanna build my own place.

Of course you can! heh heh heh Step into my office.

Slight · 11-15-2005, 08:40 PM

One of these known as Roughs Tower is host to The Principality of Sealand. It hosts a collocation service called HavenCo which boasts: "Unsurpassed physical security from the world, including government subpoenas and search and seizures of equipment and data." There is more information about the location and history here.

seakdivers · 11-15-2005, 10:11 PM

How did you guys find me?

Crap. Now I have to relocate all over again, and I just got my new Ikea furniture yesterday.

Anybody have a raft I can borrow?

Elspode · 11-15-2005, 10:39 PM

Fascinating read. I didn't even know that these structures existed. Sadly, Google Earth does not have hi-rez views of the areas where these structures are located.

Cyclefrance · 11-16-2005, 05:14 AM

Here's some info and photos of other seaforts - not so much like an invading tripod martian! One has even been converted as living accommodation.

Another wierd fact (partially covered in the Wikepedia link, but takes some weeding out) - some of the seaforts shown in IOTD were actually taken over by pirate radio stations in the 1960's-70's when the UK didn't have an open broadcasting policy

astrodex · 11-16-2005, 07:27 AM

Reminds me of Stiltsville in Key Biscayne off Miami...only less pink.

Long time lurker, first time poster.

BigV · 11-16-2005, 10:56 AM

Welcome astrodex, it's good to see the lurkers finally speaking up!

Trilby · 11-16-2005, 11:46 AM

Hi, astrodex!

you're not really going to "run out" and get a cup of coffee living there, are you?

bargalunan · 11-16-2005, 12:41 PM

Reminds me of :

BigV · 11-16-2005, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

With my luck, Homer Simpson would move in next door. All the inconvenience of a light house and neighbors too.

hahahaha!

11-15-2005, 06:09 PM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	11/15/2005: Maunsell sea forts Multiple people submitted this recent find which makes me think it somehow made the rounds. From the underground Kent website, the sort of site every locale should have: The Thames Estuary Army Forts were constructed in 1942 to a design by Guy Maunsell, following the successful construction and deployment of the Naval Sea Forts. Their purpose was to provide anti-aircraft fire within the Thames Estuary area. Each fort consisted of a group of seven towers with a walkway connecting them all to the central control tower. The fort, when viewed as a whole, comprised one Bofors tower, a control tower, four gun towers and a searchlight tower. They were arranged in a very specific way, with the control tower at the centre, the Bofors and gun towers arranged in a semi-circular fashion around it and the searchlight tower positioned further away, but still linked directly to the control tower via a walkway. All the forts followed this plan and, in order of grounding, were called the Nore Army Fort, the Red Sands Army Fort and finally the Shivering Sands Army Fort. All three forts were in place by late 1943, but Nore is no longer standing. Construction of the towers was relatively quick, and they were easily floated out to sea and grounded in water no more than 30m (100ft) deep. Huh. I thought they were those walkers from The Empire Strikes Back.

11-15-2005, 06:14 PM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	mmm... Condos. What color are you going to paint yours? __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

11-15-2005, 06:40 PM	#3
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	With my luck, Homer Simpson would move in next door. All the inconvenience of a light house and neighbors too. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

11-15-2005, 07:58 PM	#5
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	(As I said when I was one of the multiple submitters) It looks like something out of Myst. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

11-15-2005, 08:40 PM	#7
Slight Semi-Evil Genius Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Boulder CO Posts: 195	Sealand One of these known as Roughs Tower is host to The Principality of Sealand. It hosts a collocation service called HavenCo which boasts: "Unsurpassed physical security from the world, including government subpoenas and search and seizures of equipment and data." There is more information about the location and history here.

11-15-2005, 07:48 PM	#4
Oafed So many stupid people... So few comets Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 18	Hmm... Can you buy 'underwater' land?? I wanna build my own place.

11-15-2005, 10:11 PM	#8
seakdivers Icy Queen Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Southeast Alaska Posts: 700	How did you guys find me? Crap. Now I have to relocate all over again, and I just got my new Ikea furniture yesterday. Anybody have a raft I can borrow?

11-15-2005, 10:39 PM	#9
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Fascinating read. I didn't even know that these structures existed. Sadly, Google Earth does not have hi-rez views of the areas where these structures are located. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

11-16-2005, 05:14 AM	#10
Cyclefrance Pump my ride! Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Deep countryside of Surrey , England Posts: 1,890	Here's some info and photos of other seaforts - not so much like an invading tripod martian! One has even been converted as living accommodation. Another wierd fact (partially covered in the Wikepedia link, but takes some weeding out) - some of the seaforts shown in IOTD were actually taken over by pirate radio stations in the 1960's-70's when the UK didn't have an open broadcasting policy __________________ Always sufficient hills - never sufficient gears

11-16-2005, 07:27 AM	#11
astrodex May Ter Dee Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Cambridge, MA Posts: 26	Reminds me of Stiltsville in Key Biscayne off Miami...only less pink. Long time lurker, first time poster.

11-16-2005, 10:56 AM	#12
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	Welcome astrodex, it's good to see the lurkers finally speaking up! __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

11-16-2005, 11:46 AM	#13
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	Hi, astrodex! you're not really going to "run out" and get a cup of coffee living there, are you? __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

11-16-2005, 12:41 PM	#14
bargalunan Abecedarian Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Nantes (France) Posts: 175	Reminds me of : Attached Images

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