Can you visit Maunsell Forts?
The Maunsell Army and Navy forts were built and placed in the Thames Estuary in 1942 to help protect London from airstrikes and sea raids during World War II. After the war, the forts became the headquarters for pirate radio stations. Today, the forts are abandoned and dilapidated, but you can visit them by boat.
Who owns Maunsell Sea?
United Kingdom, Sealand
Maunsell Forts
| Maunsell Sea Forts | |
|---|---|
| Type | Fortified towers |
| Height | Approx 30–78 feet (9.1–23.8 m) |
| Site information | |
| Owner | United Kingdom, Sealand |
Where are the Maunsell Forts?
Thames
Located off the English coast in the Thames and Mersey estuaries, the Maunsell Forts are Second World War defensive platforms that were built to defend the UK against enemy aircraft.
What are red sand towers?
Red Sands: The Abandoned Estuary Sea Forts From The Second World War. These quadruped giants were constructed in the second world war to protect London and other Thames settlements from the aerial and naval attentions of Nazi Germany.
How are the Red Sands Fort being protected?
The Red Sands Forts are currently funded and protected by Project Red Sand, who have made it their mission to preserve the forts and their history. Another idea in the pipeline is to turn the forts in to a luxury hotel complex, although this could be pie in the sky.
How many gun towers are in Red Sands Fort?
It is planned for the forts to become a museum once restored. Today, Redsands, originally one of four sea forts in the Thames Estuary, is made up of seven separate towers – 5 gun towers, a searchlight tower and a central control tower. A walkway would originally have connected them all together.
Why was Red Sands built in the Second World War?
Even up close, it’s impossible to avoid the sci-fi comparisons. These quadruped giants were constructed in the second world war to protect London and other Thames settlements from the aerial and naval attentions of Nazi Germany.
When did the red sand and shivering sand forts end?
During their time in operation the Red Sand and Shivering Sand forts shot down 22 planes, numerous flying bombs and were integral in the sinking of a U-Boat. When the war ended in 1945, the sea forts remained manned, with crews remaining in place until 1953.