A total of three sea forts under the control of the Army were constructed in 1941/42 to protect the vital shipping lane and air corridor along the River Thames which had suffered greatly from magnetic sea mines dropped by German aircraft. Devised and named after their creator Guy Maunsell, the… Read More »Site Visit – Maunsell Sea Forts
Situated firmly in East Berlin sat a secret and prohibited district, left off maps, and surrounded by high walls, barbed wired and armed guards. Inside lay a facility that bred paranoia on the part of the guards, and fear and terror on the part of the prisoners. Their houses raided… Read More »Site Visit – Berlin-Hohenschoenhausen
Slough Fort (so named due to its proximity to Slough hamlet to the north west) was built between 1861 and 1867 to combat a ever growing threat from the French who were bolstering their coastal defences and naval fleets. One of many stone built forts built along the Kent coastline,… Read More »Site Visit – Slough Fort, Allhallows
Grain Tower Battery was constructed between 1879 and 1855 of granite in an Martello tower style. Unique by virtue that it was constructed off shore on a mud-spit in the River Medway, and only accessible by foot along a (muddy) brick causeway at low tide. The fort was initially armed… Read More »Site Visit – Grain Tower Battery
Acquired by Campbell College in 1925 as their preparatory school, a house at Cabin Hill dates back to 1786, although the main house standing today was built in 1860 and extended in 1902. Having seen a rich and vibrant history as a fine house and latter school, Cabin Hill now… Read More »Site Visit – Cabin Hill, Belfast
[huge_it_maps id=”4″] Meaning ‘Fort of the Heather,’ Dunree Fort is now a national museum in Donegal. Originally a fort was erected on the cliffs in 1798 to guard against French invasion. The much expanded site today consists of 4 distinct areas of interest; the original fort which is now a museum… Read More »Site Visit – Dunree Fort, County Donegal
Situated on a rocky headland, Lenan Head Fort (sometimes spelt Leenan) is a British built coastal artillery battery from the late 19th Century. Standing isolated for over 120 years, the Victorian site was only in use for less than 40 years, but stood proudly on the cusp of the Atlantic protecting the deep-water… Read More »Site Visit – Lenan Head Fort, County Donegal
Inside the old mill (circa 1835) on the Redhall (Red Hall) estate just outside Ballycarry lie a remarkable secret from WW2. During the war, as huge swathes of American troops descended on Northern Ireland, large volumes of accommodation was taken over to accommodate the new visitors. One of these buildings… Read More »Site Visit – Redhall Mill, Ballycarry
After being built in 1845, Crumlin Road Gaol, later to be named HM Prison Crumlin Road, was operational for 151 years until its closure in 1996. Through its rich and troubled life, it saw the incarceration of many notable personalities, including some of the country’s politicians during the many years of… Read More »Site Visit – Crumlin Road Gaol
Situated in the leafy suburbs of South Belfast, Belvoir Park Hospital has lain empty since 2006 when the remaining healthcare operations moved to the City Hospital. Belvoir opened 100 years earlier in 1906 as the Purdysburn Fever Hospital and had a long and fruitful history being the site of Northern Irelands… Read More »Site Visit – Belvoir Park Hospital