fort luton
London
In 1859 Lord Palmerston instigated the Royal Commission on the Defence of the
United Kingdom to review the nation’s defences. At the time there was a strong
possibility of a French attack and the country’s existing defences were deemed
obsolete. The report was published the following year with the recommendation of
the construction of a series of forts to strengthen the defences around the
country against landward attack. Over 80 forts were built with five being
constructed in Medway to protect the Royal Dockyard, Royal Arsenal and the
approach to London. Fort Luton was the smallest in the “Chatham Concrete Ring”.
The five forts were Fort Borstal, Fort Bridgewoods, Fort Horsted, Fort Luton and
Fort Darland. The design and placement of the forts were based on the needs and
armament available in 1860, artillery range was three miles and with the site of
the forts you could hold the enemy around five miles from the Dockyard at
Chatham, an important feature of approach to London was the A2 which Rochester
Bridge is part of and this had to be protected, if the enemy could use it they
would have a direct route into London and if they destroyed the bridge they
could delay our troops from hampering their invasion plans and forcing them to
travel miles to cross the River Medway. Construction started on the Medway forts
in the mid-1870s however funds became short and work stopped for some years, by
the time work began again armament had so improved as to make the forts useless
for the defence of the Royal Dockyard and Rochester Bridge, artillery fire was
now travelling up to twelve miles. The design of the forts were changed many
times reflecting on the improving armament, changing needs for defence and the
new suggestion that fixed artillery forts were an unnecessary cost which field
works could replace. Due to the constant improvements during this short period
many features of Fort Luton were removed from plans including a main magazine,
counterscarp galleries and a caponier. The size of Fort Luton was also reduced
and a casemate was converted into the use of a magazine. None of the forts
received their fixed gun emplacements but instead they were provided with secure
bases around the ramparts, this allowed field guns to be wheeled into position
when under attack but also removed if there was heavy bombardment. To protect
the guns Fort Luton was provided with four gun shelters in which the artillery
men could also retreat when in danger.
