The Fort and Nearby Buildings
Coalhouse Fort itself is partly surrounded by a water filled "wet ditch" (not moat) and a dry ditch as part of the defences from the Victorian period. Apart from wells and a water storage cistern, there are no underground structures at Coalhouse, (although there are tunnels running beneath it within its perimeter wall). As the fort is built on marshland, any excavations would be likely to fill with water.
Due south from the fort and close to the river is the remains of a quick firing battery. This was constructed in the early part of the twentieth century and originally equipped with 12 pounder artillery pieces. Further on down the river, at some distance from the fort, there are a number of defensive works. On the river foreshore about half a mile from the fort stands the remains of an early radar tower. This tower was constructed during World War II and was one of the earliest examples of its type. Because of the secrecy surrounding radar during World War II this structure was marked on maps as a 'water tower' to confuse the enemy and this 'decoy' name has been continued on maps up until recently.
In 1949, the fort was leased to the Bata Shoe Company for storage and was purchased from the government in 1962 by Thurrock Council. The surrounding land was cleared and turned into a public park but the fort was kept closed.
As part of the Tilbury Riverside project, a pathway has been developed between Coalhouse and Tilbury Fort passing along the river bank and past Tilbury Power Station. This is known as the Two Forts Way. The path is just over three miles and is described as "a challenging route suitable for able bodied walkers and experienced cyclists."
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