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Henley Fort is a Victorian fort near Guildford, Surrey, at the eastern end of the 'Hog's Back' ridge.
| Henley Fort | |
|---|---|
 The view across Guildford from Henley Fort | |
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| General information | |
| Address | Henley Fort Outdoor Education Centre, The Mount, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 4RH |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°13′50″N 0°35′49″W / 51.230509°N 0.5968996°W |
| Owner | Surrey Outdoor Learning & Development |
| Website | |
| Henley Fort | |
History
editHenley Fort was built as a mobilisation centre[1] during the 1880-90s as part of the London Defence Positions. Its purpose was to protect the capital from the French army.[2] Initially, construction was rapid due to the invasion threat, but slowed as that threat passed.[citation needed]
It is the most westerly fort of a 17-mile chain that would have formed a secondary line of defence between the South coast and London.[2] It was never used as a fort in the conventional sense,[3] having neither the men or the munitions to garrison it, and was instead used to train volunteers and as a monthly meeting place for the volunteers who manned it.[4]
Ammunition was also created on site,[citation needed] and the fort was constructed using chalk in order to prevent gunpowder from detonating in the event of the fort being bombed.[citation needed]
During the Second World War, Henley Fort was used for defence purposes by the Home Guard.
In the 1950s it was used as a camp for local schools.[5] Each school could attend for two weeks each year for walks around Surrey.
Present
editToday the fort is an educational centre run by Surrey Outdoor Learning & Development,[6] and as such hosts groups of all types wanting an outdoor learning experience.
References
edit- ^ "Guildford Borough Historic Environment Information". www.guildford.gov.uk.
- ^ a b "Surrey Archaeological Society - Bulletin 405" (PDF). www.surreyarchaeology.org.uk.
- ^ Chapman-Davies 2013.
- ^ Evans 1998, p. 20.
- ^ Kerr 1927, p. 223.
- ^ "Surrey Outdoor Learning & Development - Henley Fort". www.surreyoutdoorlearning.uk. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
Bibliography
edit- Chapman-Davies, Helen (2013). Guildford's Hidden History. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781848686915.
- Evans, Martin Marix (1998). The Military Heritage of Britain & Ireland. Andre Deutsch Ltd. ISBN 9780233991504.
- Kerr, James (1927). The Fundamentals of School Health. Macmillan. ASIN B00089Z71K.
External links
edit
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