New Tavern Fort
Restored 18th-century artillery fort on the Thames in Gravesend with gun emplacements, a brick tunnel and volunteer-run displays.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
New Tavern Fort was built between 1780 and 1783, during the American War of Independence, to protect the Thames from French and Spanish raiders. It stood on the site of the New Tavern Inn and began as an earthwork with two gun batteries. Artillery forts had already guarded this stretch of the river since 1539 and 1540.
From 1868, after a Royal Commission looked at the danger from ironclad warships, the fort was rebuilt with brick gun emplacements and rifled guns. As the main defences of the Thames moved further downriver, the fort was disarmed. In 1932 Gravesend Corporation bought the interior and opened it as a pleasure garden. The fort was used by the military again in the Second World War, when its magazines served as air-raid shelters and its masts carried a naval radio station.
Restoration by volunteers began in 1975, and the fort was given Grade II* listed status in 1977. Two salvaged 6-inch guns were put back in the 1980s. Today the site is owned by Gravesham Borough Council and run by Thames Defence Heritage. It has eight gun emplacements, a brick tunnel of around 180 metres with sixteen storage rooms and ammunition lifts, and zigzag ramparts. Displays in the restored magazines show how the fort was used in wartime and tell the military history of Gravesend.
Highlights
- Eight gun emplacements and heavy guns
- Brick tunnel of about 180 metres with storage rooms
- Zigzag ramparts above the Thames
- Free adult and children's audio tours by QR code
- Run and restored by volunteers since 1975
Permanent exhibition
- The restored fort and magazines – Gun emplacements, a brick tunnel and magazines with displays on the fort's wartime use and the military history of Gravesend.
- Operated by
- Thames Defence Heritage (owned by Gravesham Borough Council)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £1 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £0.50Cash only. |
Entry is £1 for adults and 50p for children. Payment is by cash only.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Parts of the fort and the outdoor site are accessible. The underground tunnels have steps, some surfaces are uneven, and the historic structures may have limited access.
Kids & families
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
A free children's audio tour is available. Children pay 50p.
Getting there & parking
The fort lies within Fort Gardens at Commercial Place, Gravesend.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Audio guide | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | A free audio tour for adults and another for children can be played by scanning the QR code on the poster at the entrance. The tours cover the fort's history from the 1780s to its possible use for civil defence in the Second World War, life inside the fort, the heavy guns and the zigzag ramparts. School groups can arrange visits through Visit Gravesend. |
