Henry VIII
Henry VIII (1491-1547) was King of England from 1509 to his death in 1547. He is famous for his many wives and causing England to leave the Catholic Church and become a largely Protestant country.
Henry VIII instigated the construction of blockhouses to be purpose built to protect the river Thames. The East Tilbury blockhouse was located on the riverbank at Coalhouse Point about half a mile south of the present village. It crossed its fire with the Higham blockhouse on the Kent shore to form the first line of defence in the river; the second line being composed of the Tilbury, Gravesend and Milton blockhouses three miles upstream. The blockhouse was constructed at a cost of £506 and was partly built of materials from St. Margaret's Chapel nearby, dissolved in 1536. No informative illustrations of the blockhouse are known but, from available records, a brick and stone structure with a rampart and ditch enclosing the landward side seems indicated. The blockhouse itself may have been D-shaped in plan like its Tilbury counterpart but there can be no certainty.
Later, during the threat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, the blockhouse at West Tilbury was hastily strengthened by the construction of a star-shaped line of earthworks on its landward side. This work was carried out under the supervision of the Italian engineer Frederico Genebelli*, this was later to become Tilbury Fort.
Designed by Sir Bernard de Gomme**, Tilbury Fort, on the left bank of the Thames opposite Gravesend, was perhaps de Gomme's most impressive acheivement was. His involvement began with his return to England up until his death in 1685. The fort is pentagonal, with four bastions. A bastion is a pentagonal work that projects outwards from the main wall. Cannon in the flanks could cover the curtain wall and the faces of the adjacent bastions. Tilbury Fort is often sited as the best example of a bastioned fort in England.
Henry VIII instigated the construction of blockhouses to be purpose built to protect the river Thames. The East Tilbury blockhouse was located on the riverbank at Coalhouse Point about half a mile south of the present village. It crossed its fire with the Higham blockhouse on the Kent shore to form the first line of defence in the river; the second line being composed of the Tilbury, Gravesend and Milton blockhouses three miles upstream. The blockhouse was constructed at a cost of £506 and was partly built of materials from St. Margaret's Chapel nearby, dissolved in 1536. No informative illustrations of the blockhouse are known but, from available records, a brick and stone structure with a rampart and ditch enclosing the landward side seems indicated. The blockhouse itself may have been D-shaped in plan like its Tilbury counterpart but there can be no certainty.
Later, during the threat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, the blockhouse at West Tilbury was hastily strengthened by the construction of a star-shaped line of earthworks on its landward side. This work was carried out under the supervision of the Italian engineer Frederico Genebelli*, this was later to become Tilbury Fort.
Designed by Sir Bernard de Gomme**, Tilbury Fort, on the left bank of the Thames opposite Gravesend, was perhaps de Gomme's most impressive acheivement was. His involvement began with his return to England up until his death in 1685. The fort is pentagonal, with four bastions. A bastion is a pentagonal work that projects outwards from the main wall. Cannon in the flanks could cover the curtain wall and the faces of the adjacent bastions. Tilbury Fort is often sited as the best example of a bastioned fort in England.
* Frederico Genebelli (Gianibelli) was a 16th century Italian military engineer. He is famous for his exploding fire-ship during the siege of Antwerp in 1585, but he also built fortifications at Plymouth and Carisbrooke on the Isle of Wight.
** Bernard de Gomme (1620-1685) is the most important figure in 17th century English military engineering, but little is known of his early life. He was born in Terneuzan (near Antwerp) in the Netherlands in 1620 and may have attended the engineers' school at Leiden University. In his early years served as an apprentice in the armies of Prince Frederik Hendrik. He served in the Gennep campaign of 1641, and probably also in the Breda campaign of 1637. During these campaigns de Gomme came into contact with various English captains, and learned to speak and write English.
** Bernard de Gomme (1620-1685) is the most important figure in 17th century English military engineering, but little is known of his early life. He was born in Terneuzan (near Antwerp) in the Netherlands in 1620 and may have attended the engineers' school at Leiden University. In his early years served as an apprentice in the armies of Prince Frederik Hendrik. He served in the Gennep campaign of 1641, and probably also in the Breda campaign of 1637. During these campaigns de Gomme came into contact with various English captains, and learned to speak and write English.