If you are somehow reading the Young Pioneer Tours blog, then I will go all out and assume that you have heard of the Principality of Sealand. In case you have not, and I will keep it brief; Sealand was previously a WW2 fort off the British coast known as Roughs Tower that was converted into the Principality of Sealand. It has since been maintained by the Bates family, and exists as a rather quirky “micronation”/new nation project.
What many people do not realize though is that Roughs Tower was far from the only fort of its kind that was built and indeed still exists to this day.
To the strange tale of the Maunsell Forts
The Maunsell Forts were armed forts built during the second world war to protect the Thames and the Mersey. Following the war, many were got rid of, but a few still very much exist, such as Redsand Fort (the main point of this blog), which can be just about seen from the iconic Isle of Sheppey!
Red Sands
We could launch into blogs about all the forts (and probably will at some point), but Redsand Fort is 7 inter-linked towers in the Thames Estuary that look like something from outer space. Currently they are “technically” not really that safe to enter, although people obviously have (hence the photos).
What you get inside is a time warp to what it would have been like to have served here during the time of the Nazi threat to the United Kingdom. There have been talk of getting rid of Redsand Fort, but we, and many others think it should be preserved.
Preserving Redsand Fort
There are many interested groups on Facebook involved in trying to preserve the Redsand Fort (many of which we know), with many incredible ideas for how to re-use the forts when they’re restored. The possibilities are enormous but so-far, untapped. All it takes is the right people with the right attitude and the right willpower! Getting involved in preserving these majestic creations is something YPT are all about! If it also interests you, please feel free to contact me at gareth@youngpioneertours.com.
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