West Tilbury Blockhouse, Tilbury Fort

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; The Hermitage Bulwark; Thermitage Bullwark; Johnes Bulwark; Tylbery

In the civil parish of Chadwell St Mary. In the historic county of Essex (Modern Authority of Thurrock, 1974 county of Essex).

Situated on low lying ground on the north bank of the River Thames, south east of the modern outskirts of Tilbury. The monument includes the buried remains of an Henrician, D shaped, blockhouse, the far larger and more complex fort and battery which succeeded the blockhouse in the late C17, the late C19 and early C20 alterations to the fort, and a World War II pillbox. The blockhouse was constructed in 1539 as part of Henry VIII's campaign to improve the coastal defences.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number )

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TQ65157543

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 413465
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 1678 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/tilbury/tilbury.php
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/tilbury.html
• Books
  • Harrington, Peter, 2007, The Castles of Henry VIII (Oxford: Osprey) p8, 28, 38, 44, 56, 61
    Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of East Anglia (Malvern) p41
    Saunders, Andrew, 1997, Channel Defences (London; Batsford/English Heritage) p45, 52, 78, 119
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p76 [slight]
    Kent, Peter, 1988, Fortifications of East Anglia (Lavenham: Ternence Dalton)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p147
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p306-7
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol1 (London) p241-3
• Journal Articles
  • Powell, W.R., 1988, ‘The medieval hospitals at East Tilbury and West Tilbury and Henry VIII’s forts' Essex Archaeology and History Vol19 p154-8
    anon, 1979, ‘Tilbury blockhouse and fort' Panorama Vol22 p57
    Duncan, 1974-5, Essex Journal Vol9 p131-4
    Smith, V.T.C., 1974, Archaeologia Cantiana Vol89 p141-62
    Saunders, A.D., 1960, Antiquiries Journal Vol40 p154
    Burrows, 1933, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol38 p83-113
• Guidebooks
  • Miles, David, 2001, Tilbury Fort (London: English Heritage)
    Saunders, A.D., 1985, Tilbury Fort Essex (London: English Heritage) p4, 21-2
    Saunders, A.D., 1960, Tilbury Fort Essex (HMSO)