This month has again been very busy with work being carried out in both the new café area and the East magazine.
The new to be café area now has the two casemates weather tight with both backs now fitted out with the timber and brick structures in place, work will begin with the installation of the kitchen area soon.
Also the replica Howarth ventilators are now on site, 2 for the café and 4 for the East Magazine. The ones for the café are currently being installed which requires digging into the bank, finding the capped of pipe and building new brick chimney stacks to fit the ventilators onto.
In the magazine area the ammunition locket doors have now been fitted and some of the joinery is now in place, mainly around the shifting lobby area. In the background the re made air bricks are on site and are now being fitted.
We have made a lot of purchases and a lot of progress during this month within the casemates to become the café and the East Magazine which will be the heritage centre, as follows.
Café, the second frame is now in place, this now closes off the café to the elements, once painted outside work can continue inside regardless of the weather. The floor has had its first coat of stain, the new capping stones for the edge of the roof above have arrived on site.
East Magazine, the frames and glass have arrived and been fitted to the lighting passage recesses, the ammunition locker doors and frames have arrived and fitting has started along with the missing hold fast rings. Inside the black engineering bricks on all the corners of the walls have been cleaned up and some of the walls painted giving quite a startling contrast, your first impression on entering the magazine. The joinery for the shifting lobby has also arrived and will be fitted soon.
A lot has happened in the last month, the timber work for the casemate ends have been delivered and the brickwork/sills are now complete.
It has taken a lot of juggling to get the frame into the recess as nothing is square or upright, but we have got there and there is certainly a wow factor as you round the corner into the fort and get an idea what the café entrance will look like. We are now already in a race against time as the weather is changing rapidly and trying to get the casemates watertight is the main aim at the moment. Inside walls are being limewashed, wood is being painted and door furniture fitted.
In another part of the fort (East Magazine) the first of the lighting passage window frames has arrived and is now being fitted.
All thanks to the HLF grant that we received, it would not have been possible without this and will make a fantastic difference to the visitor experience and preserve the fort for future generations.
With thanks to a HLF Lottery Grant work continues towards the project.
The electrics are now complete in the East Magazine which will become a heritage centre show casing the rich military history of the Hoo Peninsula, complete with chair lift to take less abled persons to the lower level. The bespoke items to return part of the magazine back to how it was in the Victorian times are all on order but the items are taking anything up to 6 months to manufacture.
In the main fort the floor is complete in the two casemates that will become the café, the divisions between the café and the adjacent casemate have been boarded up with insulation sandwiched between timber boards and painting has started. The brick layer is on site and has started to brick up the ends with reclaimed yellow stock bricks and lime mortar, once this is complete the new sills will be put in place and the formers removed awaiting the delivery of the casemate doors and windows ( sometime in August).
As a conversation piece, a cast iron fireplace has been fitted into the opening, also a butler sink following the discovery of the tap, waste pipe and drainage.
The two toilet rooms, accessible and unisex are now complete. These were carried out in a sympathetic manner keeping the general appearance of the rooms but meeting todays needs where reasonably practicable.
Now that we have the go ahead from the HLF to carry out the grant work lots of work has been going on.
The infill of the floor in the casemates to become the café has now been fully removed, the sole plates have been put in position, then the joists and we are now working on the installation of the floorboards. In the background we now have all the electrical fittings in place in the unisex toilet room, this just leaves tidying up and a bit of painting. The joinery for the backs of the casemates is on order (4 months lead in time), reclaimed bricks for below the joinery have been purchased and are on site along with the new sills. Imitation granite kerb stones have been cast in place at the backs of the casemates, the gap between these and the new brickwork will be filled in with York stone slabs.
Down in the east magazine, which will become our Heritage Centre we now have all the electrics complete, we also now have an external stairlift fitted this along with the new pathways we have laid will make more areas accessible to all.
With the go ahead to start work on the lottery projects things are happening fast at Slough Fort.
The ice shot blasting of the casemates that will become the café is now complete so the removal of the floor infill concrete has started in preparation for a new wooden floor. The joinery for the casemate backs has been ordered (delivery August/September), as everything is bespoke, things have to be ordered well in advance. reclaimed bricks are on site, brick layer booked.
Likewise with the underground magazine contractors have been in and out measuring and pricing, again all bespoke items will take a while to manufacture. An example of this is the missing air bricks and bull nosed tiles, delivery expected in January 2026.
On the unisex toilet room progress, all now plumbed in thanks to our shy plumber who donated his time over the bank holiday weekend, electricians booked so wont be long for that room to be complete.
More news and pictures as things progress
This has been a very busy month for the Trustees as we have finally got the go ahead to start our lottery project following a lot of legal paperwork, so its full steam ahead. The ice shot blasting of the casemates for the café has been booked so work will start soon. The formers for the casemate backs have been fitted and adjusted to get the curves correct ahead of production, lead in time for these is about 3 months. We have ordered the window sills and capping stones and are currently sourcing yellow stock bricks. Once the shot blasting is finished we will remove the concrete infill of the floor of the casemates and start putting in the wooden floor.
Mean while the cubicles for the unisex toilet have been fitted into place, two more doors and frames have arrived on site and been fitted to the barrack kitchen and the coal room. We have also started putting in the electrics to three more rooms, lights and sockets.
Have you thought about volunteering ?, Here at Slough Fort Preservation Trust we are looking for two people to learn (and take over at the end of the year) the positions of secretary and treasurer.
The roles are currently covered by one person but it has become too much added to a full time job.
If you think you can help and want to find out more, in the first instance contact us via secretary@sloughfort.org.uk for detailed information of what’s involved.
If we find the right people you can work alongside the current secretary and learn throughout the rest of the year.
Thank you for reading this, pictures courtesy of freepik.com
We have been very busy at the fort in the last two months creating new pathways to allow access to all around the site, and completing the fire pit.
100 tons of Type 1 and granite chippings have been laid and tampered down using grants obtained from Medway Council and ASDA This was all done with volunteer labour and the community pay back team.
Work continues at the fort whilst we are shut for winter. With the grant from the Medway Prosperity Fund we are working with the local scout group and have a large area which has been dug out for a fire pit also trees have been planted around the grounds with the aid of the scouts. The scouts are then badge earning as they are currently making the seats to go around the fire pit, more pictures to follow.
Work has also been carried out to prepare the old ablution room ready to turn it into a unisex toilet room to improve the visitor facilities
We are delighted to say that the accessible toilet room is now complete, thanks to the grants from Veolia and Colyer Ferguson. The floor is painted, heating in, shower working and running hot water, working toilet this will be a great asset for the volunteers and visitors alike. We now concentrate on prep work for the lottery work whilst we sort out the legal paperwork and get permission to start, unfortunately this will be late February/March, we are keen to get going. We have started prep work on dismantling our pop up café / rest area and moved it into another casemate, once we get the go ahead to start the first job will be to have the casemates shot blasted with dry ice, remove the floor infill and install a wooden floor.
Work continues on the accessible toilet room with shower. Ceiling, plumbing completed and all the electrics are now finished. The first picture shows how the room looked after we had shot blasted the walls of the various paints from its days as a horse stable then with lime wash and the fittings. There is still some finishing touches to do and the floor to have a self levelling compound poured over it for its final look, we aim to have it completed this month.
The work continues in the background sorting out all the legal paperwork associated with the lottery grant we received notice of back in September, it is anticipated that will take until late January once done we will have a very exciting 2025 as we start various projects here at Slough Fort.
Work has continued during the month on the project to convert a room to accessible toilet facilities. A dividing wall has gone up to separate the shower area from the toilet facilities, the framework and laths have gone up for the ceiling followed by the lime plastering. Plumbing is now in progress, both the building and plumbing works have been carried out by local tradesmen who have donated their skill and time to the fort, a big thank you to them both.
We’re delighted to let you know that from today (20/10/2024, Co-op Members can officially support Slough Fort Preservation Trust (Cause ID: 87769) as part of the Local Community Fund. The more members that choose our cause, the more money our project will receive.
The funding period will run until next year, closing on 18 October 2025.
Please share to all your friends and family, if you are not a co op member, please join as only co op members can vote and you can use your vote from anywhere in the country when shopping at a root co op store.
The Trustees of Slough Fort Preservation Trust are delighted to announce that Slough Fort has been awarded a significant grant by the Heritage Fund. Slough Fort has been working towards the grant for nearly 4 years together with other groups across the Hoo Peninsula as part of a project known as “Whose Hoo”. Slough Fort will receive the grant to provide visitor facilities for the fort and transform its magazine into a Heritage Centre showcasing the rich Military history of the Peninsula. Chairman Colin Davis said “This grant is a major step forward to making Slough Fort a first class tourist attraction and community asset, making the fort sustainable with the provision of the Heritage Centre, a café and modern toilets. We would like to thank the Heritage Fund and our partners within Whose Hoo for making this happen”.
Being fully aware that the weather is about to change soon, the volunteers have been concentrating on outside jobs. Therefore the western gun position has now been fully painted and protected from the weather soon to change. Likewise the four windows that were received recently have been painted, lime mortared in and stonework replaced where missing, they are now externally ready for the winter weather. These windows are now sealing against the elements 3 more rooms, these being 1 in the barrack kitchen, 2 in the coal room and the final window in casemate No 1. We can now work in these rooms during the winter months.
The entire fort roof has been jet washed, sealed and coated in a solar reflective resin during the month, this protects the bitumen coating below and stops it melting in the sun/heat. This has been done in the past but only has a life of about 5-6 years so was due a recoat to keep the fort waterproof. This will protect the restoration done in rooms below and allow us to continue restoration as areas that had not previously been coated have now been done. Roof materials were paid for by a much appreciated grant from Charles Burnett 111
During the month also we have started work on converting a room to an accessible toilet room for all abilities, drainage has gone in and lime washing has started (everyone’s favourite job not) this thanks to grant by Veolia
After the flurry of work to complete the western roadway gullies and concrete in time for the restoration update day, we have now moved our attentions to the disabled toilet room thanks to the grant from Veolia.
In the past week we have laid the underground services, removed the old fittings from the walls and floors, filled in and prepped for a self levelling compound. Fitted 3 of 4 rifle loop doors and re pointed the walls as required. We have now started the lime washing of the walls. Here is a picture of the room, the walls were covered in multi coloured paint going back to when it was a horse stable which had to be shot blasted in advance to take the lime wash.
June has been a busy month for us at Slough Fort, we have now mixed 45 tons of concrete and finished laying the missing concrete to the righthand side of the western gun position road. Once we put bitumen the expansion gaps it will be complete. All the gully stones have now been cast for the other side of the road, 5 in place and 10 more to set in position.
We have also been working hard on grant applications and now have 4 more windows and 3 doors on order, plus funding to re coat the main fort roof with a solar reflective layer over the bitumen which needs to be done every 5 years to remain waterproof.
We have also finally submitted our HLF grant application and sit back until later in the year with our fingers crossed for a positive outcome.
Following on from a successful grant application to Charles Burnett 111 we are now preparing four window openings for new windows. The “gaps” were temporarily filled with timber and plastic sheeting to keep the rain out, these have been removed to allow us to prepare the window bars for painting and carry out a few stone repairs. The estimated lead in time to have these bespoke windows made is 23 weeks, so hopefully they will be in, painted and weather tight before winter.
In the mean time concrete and gully work carries on at the western gun/road position, one side of the road is completed with new gully stone the entire length, another 15 to cast and fit or the other side of the road.
We are also now keeping our fingers crossed as our HLF grant application is in and waiting for an answer later this year.
Western gun position update
We are making good progress with re instating the missing concrete and gully stones. We now have 16 gully stones set in place and two sections of concrete in place. A wooden mould box was made with a sheet metal insert in the bottom to give the curved shape, having copied dimensions from an original on site. Three pieces of rebar are inserted in the middle of the concrete whilst pouring it into the mould. Every 48 hours the gully stone can be taken out of the mould and set aside to dry. The complete run on this side is 68ft and then there are some damaged and missing ones on the other side of the road to tackle.
SMC has now been granted to the Trust to continue work on the western gun pit and road. You can see from the first image that some of the gully stones are missing from the righthand side of the road, we now have permission to cast replacements (already started as seen in the second image) set them in place and replace the missing concrete between them and the gun pit.
We also have permission to now clean up the metal work exposed from excavating the Moncrieff pit, treat the metal and paint it to preserve it against the elements.
Ground works have continued through out the winter, with the latest being as follows…. It was decide that we did not have time or permission to extend the eastern six inch gun position so it has been recorded, covered to protect the stencilling etc. and filled in to be fully excavated at a future date. The western road pictured has had the spoil that was dug out from the 9 inch gun position removed, the area where there is missing concrete cleaned up and a few more concrete gullies have been exposed. We are now waiting for the outcome of our Scheduled Monument Consent which is to re instate the missing concrete, create new concrete gullies and set back in place (as per 1891 drawing we have) and to repair damaged ones that have been exposed.
Whilst the fort is shut over the winter period a lot of restoration takes place where it would be difficult to carry this out with the public on site. At the moment we are concentrating on restoring the two stairwells within the fort. This entails 5 coats of lime wash, painting the bottom of the walls in black, infilling brickwork holes that have been punched through in the past where various people over time have gone looking for tunnels and installing the very small windows within the stairwells. Interestingly, following the manufacturers quidelines, as the lime wash may occasionally get rain on it, 1% raw linseed oil was added to the final coat for extra protection. It seems to be doing the trick.
During November the fort was visited by Simon Bourne known to a lot of people by the name Si Finds. You can find Simon metal detecting and mud larking on his YouTube channel. He came to visit the fort as the weather was to bad that day to go out in a hovercraft on the River Medway. He promised us some finds and we quickly placed him in the stocks until he handed them over. On a serious note Simon took some up to date drone shots for us and made a short film for us with the aim of showing people that not all finds from mud larking go into private collections. Both the drone shots and the video (entitled Finds fit for a museum) can be viewed via our facebook page (Slough Fort Preservation Trust). Why not follow us on facebook ?
Work has now started on weather proofing rooms that have been exposed to the elements. This will enable restoration to continue inside during the winter months. Broken and bent window bars have been cut out, straightened and re fitted. A new one has been made where there was one missing. 3 windows have been replaced to date with another one due soon
Following on with our consent for works in the western gun position we have now removed the modern steps that gave access to the area when it was a horse riding school. We then set to work on removing the 6 inch thick concrete cap covering in where the Moncrieff gun was sited. Once the concrete was removed it was quickly established that the rest of the pit was infilled with clay. As this was removed, by digger initially and then by hand, what was left of the traversing ring was revealed. The ring is mostly intact but due to the width of the pit opening being narrower than below the rest will have to be carefully removed by hand. After this a report will made on the findings to Heritage England and permission sought to preserve what is left
Following on with our consent for works in the western gun position we have now completed the earth retaining wall. We will now start to demolish the old 1960,s steps that used to be the access point from the Haven site to get to the horse riding stables. We will follow this with starting to excavate the 9.2 inch Moncrieff gun pit to see what remains. We are ever hopeful after finding a cast iron wheel which may have come from the gun. We are also progressing with the restoration of the main fort building and have another 4 windows on order arriving in October. After getting these painted and fitted it will enable us to weather proof 3 more rooms before winter sets in.
Following on with our consent work on the western side of the fort, we have started to cast the missing retaining wall. Rebar used to tie it into what is left of the base and the upright surface. Its a slow progress, 9 inches of shuttering, concrete mix, let it set and then the next 9 inches. 14ft long, 6ft 6 inches high and 30 inches thick.
This month we were lucky to take delivery of this 3.7 inch anti aircraft gun, all the way from Dumfries Aviation Museum.
These were the type of gun that were on top of the Maunsell Forts out in the estuary, this may have come from Red Sands or Shivering Sand, we are waiting for more information from the museum. There was also a number of these guns within the village of Allhallows during WW2 and they were fed their ammunition from Slough Fort. The gun has been positioned facing the Thames as it would have been when in action.
We also had the Sheppy Pirates take over the fort for the bank holiday weekend, they are here teaching the visiting children how to use swords (foam) before sending them off in the arena following a battle with the red coats to check all the pirates were well and truly dead !.
Having received consent to excavate along the western service road we were pleased to uncover the full extent of the old cobbled gated entrance. Also following the concrete drainage gully expose the full width of the road and the remains of the metalled road surface
The new perimeter fence is now lit up of a night making the fort quite a feature against the night sky
During March our landlords Haven replaced the fence between the fort and the seafront. This will enable us to create a footpath around the glacis. It has also put the lost 6 inch gun position to the east on our side of the fence allowing excavation.
Another interesting feature discovered on the track down to the fort, a cobbled area and evidence of curved metal runners that would have taken the wheels of a gate, no doubt a guarded vehicle entrance. We have found this on a 1891 drawing and it appears that there is also a third gate which looks like a possible pedestrian entrance.
Work has continued on the cells, cell Number 2 is now complete, all lime washing done, floor stained and bed constructed. Would you like to spend your nights in here ?
Cell Number 1 is now being finished in time for our 2023 season
We had a trial dig late this month, and there is more of the position left than we expected. See here the original stencilling showing the type of shells stored in the recess, as good as the date it was put in place. The site is now covered to protect it until the weather gets better and we can carry on.
This is a scaled drawing of the eastern 6 inch gun position over a drone picture. During the winter months the fence line will be move so we have the position on our side of the fence. Weather permitting we will have a dig to see what is left, if any !!!
Hi, everyone!
Several Paranormal events took place this month. We also had our first Caravan rally, which was very successful and enjoyed by all taking part. Our tours also ended at the end of this month for 2022.
The Fort now closes down for the winter period, it is when lots of our restoration work is undertaken by our fantastic volunteers and Community Payback team.
Hi, everyone!
The fort was filled with cub scouts from 38th/40th Sea Scouts Troop, again on Friday 16th September. They undertook activities on the field and slept over in the casemates and finally had a delicious, cooked breakfast before having a tour of the Fort. They had a great time and hopefully will return for another visit.
Hi, everyone!
Slough Fort have had an increased number of people attending our increased weekly tours this month.
We also held our 2nd Open Day which again was very successful.
We secured a grant from the Allhallows Parish Council for £900 this year to help purchase a new door for the Female Toilet in the Fort. Faversham Joinery built the door and frame and delivered it to us this month. It was fitted in time for the Open Day and Parish Council Clerk Chris Fribbins visited us to take a look and some pictures to feed back to the Parish Council. Many thanks to Allhallows Parish Council.
Kian managed to secure a grant from KCF Better Connected for approx. £4000. This will be spent on improved IT equipment, to improve our CCTV and connectivity on site, meaning we will be able to take card payments in the future. It also funded a new A3 printer so we can print our own posters and signs. Many thanks, it will be put to good use.
Hi, everyone!
This month we took part in the Allhallows Village Fete. Our stall had lots of visitors, especially the younger generation. It was good to interact with the local community and share the progress we are making with the Fort.
We were also successful in securing another grant from Local Giving Little Magic Grant for £500 to help with the interpretation of the Guardroom and associated rooms. Thank you Local Giving.
Hi, everyone!
June has been another busy month at the Fort. Firstly, we celebrated the Queens Platinum Jubilee, by lighting a beacon on top of the Fort with the help of our friends the Sheppey Pirates! A great evening was had by all.
We then had our first Open Day with a visit from local MP Kelly Tolhurst, who officially opening our restored Guardroom. The weather was kind to us and we were lucky to have lots of re-enactors on site, helping to bring the Fort to life and showing our visitors what things were like in times gone past. It was a very successful day.
We were also successful in securing a £3000 grant from Revive, from which we were able to purchase some picnic tables, a new till system, some display equipment and uniforms for children to dress up in on our Open Days. Thank you Revive.
Hi, everyone!
We have had a busy month.
We are pleased to announce that we have secured a grant from The Skinner group for £700 to continue the restoration of the Guardroom and associated rooms.
Unfortunately. Some sad news at the Fort this month, as we have had a break in, by a group of youths with some damage being caused to the Gates at the top of the Fort. Luckily one of our volunteers Mark, was able to help us with repairs. Also Neal from JNP Technical came and installed some CCTV equipment to help with security on site. Thank you Mark and Neal.
Scaffolding made an appearance at the Fort and we have had our final 3 chimneys built for us by a local builder, Martin Bean.
The casemates were filled with 27th All Saints Scout and Explorer troops on 21st May, who camped over for the weekend. They had a great time, sleeping in the Fort.
Finally, Slough Fort welcomed some children from Peninsula East Primary Academy for a day of activities. They had a great day and learnt lots about the history of the Fort. Many thanks to Neil and Catharina for organising and running this day.
Happy Pancake Day!
The Slough Fort Preservation Trust’s Trustees and Volunteers have been hard at work once again, and lots has been achieved over this last month – we can’t wait to share what we’ve been up to!
Slough Fort is proud to announce that we are now a part of the Wheels of Time education scheme! A fantastic scheme aimed at encouraging young children (ages 3 to 11) to connect with fascinating local heritage in their area and across the county. There are 53 members of the Wheels of Time scheme in 2022, so there’s no shortage of places to visit! If you’d like to tick off Slough Fort from your Wheels of Time list, check out our Guided Tours or Open Days pages on our website to see when you can next come down! Alternatively, click here to head over to the Wheels of Time website and find out more about the scheme and other sites involved.
To find out more about the goings-on at Slough Fort, head over to the Slough Fort Facebook page, or take a read of one of our newsletters here on the website.
Happy Valentines Day to all the Slough Fort supporters out there!
As always, the Trustees and Volunteers of the Slough Fort Preservation Trust have been as busy as ever, and we can’t wait to tell you what we’ve been up to!
Slough Fort are now the proud owners of some rather rare anti-tank cylinders, found nearby in the village of Wainscott. With thanks to Ross Crayford, Chris Saunders and many others, these priceless artefacts of the Second World War can now be proudly displayed at Slough Fort next to our Tett Turret at the Main Gate. Want to come along and take a look at the brand-new guard position at the Slough Fort entrance? Why not come down on one of our Guided Tours, or pop along to one of our Open Days? To find out more, please head over to the relevant pages on our website.
In other news, we have had a change of leadership within the Slough Fort Preservation Trust. Keith Gulvin, the outgoing Chair of the Trust, is to be taken over from by Colin Davis. Keith first visited Slough Fort back in 1976 as a member of the Medway Military Research Group, and has been involved in the restoration of the site since 2013 – that’s nine years at Slough Fort! We are happy to announce that Keith will be staying on with the Trust in his new role as Vice Chair. The Slough Fort Preservation Trust would like to thank Keith for all his work, and wish Colin the best of luck as the incoming Chair.
That’s all from us for now, but would you like to learn more about the goings-on at Slough Fort? Head on over to the Slough Fort Facebook page, or take a read of one of our newsletters here on our website.
Happy New Year everyone!
Work has continued this New Year at Slough Fort, and we can’t wait to tell you all about it!
A relative of one of our Volunteers has very kindly donated two models of Moncreiff Disappearing Guns – the same type that were at one stage installed at Slough Fort. It’s great to see such detailed models of these guns, as they provide valuable insight into exactly how the Fort was used, manned and armed. Would you like to see these models, and learn something new about Slough Fort’s role in protecting the River Thames? Come down on one of our Guided Tours, or visit us on one of our Open Days! To find out more about these, please head over to the relevant pages on our website.
In other news, a number of projects have come into fruition during December and January such the Go Green Project. This project is aimed at protecting the environment in cooperation with the Peninsula East Primary Academy, and was a great success with a number of pupils from the school coming to Slough Fort to learn more about what they can do to help safeguard their local environment.
Lots more has taken place at Slough Fort over the last month. Would you like to learn more about the goings on at your local fort? Head over to the Slough Fort Facebook page, or take a look at our Newsletters!
Hi, everyone!
Lots has happened at Slough Fort over December – even over Christmas, there’s lots going on!
Sarah Scales, a local resident, very generously went on a sponsored run in aid of Slough Fort and the restoration works of the Slough Fort Preservation Trust and our Volunteers. Sarah managed to raise a staggering – and we are grateful for every penny! A massive Slough Fort thank you to Sarah for her fundraising work.
In other funding news, Slough Fort has been awarded £2,500 from Orchard Energy Charity Grants. These funds will go towards environmental works on the Slough Fort site, helping to integrate the restoration work we carry out with the local environment. Many thanks to all at Orchard Energy for supporting our project once again.
That’s all for December 2021 – from all at Slough Fort, we hope you all enjoy Christmas!
For more information on the goings-on at Slough Fort, and mew on some of our other developments, head over to the Slough Fort Facebook page, or check out our newsletter!
Hi everyone!
It’s definitely getting colder now, and in the words of everyone’s favourite Game of Thrones character, winter is coming. Even so, Slough Fort has still been busy this month!
Slough Fort is proud to have hosted the 50th Medway Towns Cubs for their annual Crazy Camping event. It was good fun for all, and the Cubs were able to experience unprecedented access to some local history, something that went down well with all involved!
Are you a member or representative of a Cubs/Scouts/Guides or similar group in Medway, or know someone that is? Looking for a location for a camp-out, or somewhere new to go? Head on over to our Contact Page and get in touch with us!
Not a member of one of the above groups, but want to visit Slough Fort? Head on over to our Guided Tours or Open Days pages on our site to see when we’re open!
If you would like to stay up to date with all the goings-on at Slough Fort, head on over to the Slough Fort Facebook page, or take a read of one of our newsletters here on our website.
Happy spooooooky October to all the Slough Fort supporters out there!
This month, we were honoured to provide the Slough Fort site to the Allhallows Village Halloween Party, an event organised for local children by residents Lee and Sarah Scales.
It was a spook-tacular success, with everyone, children and grownups alike, thoroughly enjoying themselves! Lots of scares, screams, and laughs, coupled with tonnes of tasty treats made for an amazing evening. We’d love to offer the Slough Fort site again for 2022 for a similar event again – watch this space for news!
Want to visit Slough Fort without the skeletons, ghosts and ghouls? Head on over to our Guided Tours and Open Day pages on our website to find out how!
Want to keep up to date on restoration progress at Slough Fort, but can’t make it to a tour or an open day? Head on over to the Slough Fort Facebook page, or take a read of one of our newsletters here on the website.
Hi everyone! The children are back at school, autumn is with us, and the leaves are starting to fall – and the Slough Fort Preservation Trust team is working hard as always!
Strood Scouts have visited us this month! The Scout troop came for a guided tour around the Slough Fort site one evening, and they loved it that much they plan to come back again next year for one of their camps – we can’t wait! Are you a member of a local Scouts troop, Guides group, Cadets group, or other local group, or know of one near you? Please head over to our Contact Us page and let us know – we’d love to have you on site!
In other news, restoration work in the Guardroom is progressing once more, this time thanks to a generous £1,000 grant from Medway Corporate Giving via the Kent Community Foundation. These funds will go towards reinstating some of the brickwork in the Guardroom, taking us one step closer to fully restoring yet another area of the Slough Fort site. Thank you very much to all at Medway Corporate Giving and the Kent Community Foundation for their generous support of our Project!
Would you like to see how our restoration works are taking shape? Head on over to the Guided Tours or Open Days pages here on our website to find a date that suites you.
Want to keep up to date with the works at Slough Fort, but can’t make a Tour or Open Day? Head on over to the Slough Fort Facebook page, or have a read of one of our newsletters here on the website!
Hi everyone – we hope you are all enjoying the sunshine!
This month we hosted one of our Open Days – and it was a great success as always!
We had a record number of visitors to Slough Fort, and every penny of the donations received will go right back in to helping restore Slough Fort to its former glory.
If you were able to attend, why not head over to our Facebook page and get in touch and let us know your thoughts? Weren’t able to attend, but want to come on one of our guided tours, or to one of our open days next year? Head over to the relevant pages here on our website to see the dates!
To find out more about the goings-on at Slough Fort, head over to the Slough Fort Facebook page, or take a read of one of our newsletters here on our website.
Hi, everyone!
It’s been a busy two months up at Slough Fort – with lots of working taking place in the Guard Room!
We’ve been lucky enough to source two period-era doors from a local barracks that was due for demolition, and these are going to soon be installing into the Guard Room.
In the time being, work is full steam ahead getting the walls rebuild in the Guard Room, with thanks to our volunteer bricklayer!
Other works are carrying on around the Slough Fort site preparing and getting ready for when we can reopen to the public – which will be soon! For more details on when we will be reopening, head on over to our Tours page!
That’s all for now, but if you’d like to find out more about the activities that have taken place at Slough Fort over the last few months, head on over to our Facebook page – just search for ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’!
Hello Everyone!
Over the last month, the Slough Fort Preservation Trust has been busy once again! Work is continuing on essential works around the site, including increasing security and works on the Fort’s drainage system. We’ve also got some really interesting news for you all!
Do you want to be a part of the history of Slough Fort? Well now you can, by simply buying a ticket for entry in a Time Capsule we are burying in the Guard Room for just £5 per entry (either individual or family).To do so, simply click here, or copy and paste the link below into your web browser:
That’s all for now, but if you’d like to find out more about the activities that have taken place at Slough Fort over the last few months, head on over to our Facebook page – just search for ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’!
Hello Everyone!
It’s been a while since our last Blog update to you all, and we’re really sorry to all those who love to read it – our Trustee Team has spent every spare minute the last few months working hard at the Fort!
Lots of background work has continued all throughout Lockdown 2 and Lockdown 3, such as applying for lots of different grants, and pushing to complete some of our projects, as well as start some new ones!
As a quick summary for you all, here’s just a small snapshot of what’s gone on at Slough Fort since our last blog update in July 2020:
– Work to restore the Guard Room of the Main Fort has accelerated massively! We don’t want to spoil the surprise if you haven’t already seen the work that’s gone on, so if you’re yet to see, head on over to the Slough Fort Facebook page!
– Grants to expand and irrigate the Slough Fort Orchard were applied for and recieved! The Orchard has now almost tripled in size compared to what it was back in Summer 2020, and the irrigation project is just beginning to get off the ground (although there has been a major setback – more on this below)
– Slough Fort has been broken into! Just a few weeks ago, the Trustee Team awoke to the sad realisation that Slough Fort had been broken into overnight. Whilst we were lucky in the items that were not affected by the break-in, a number of key items required for our Irrigation Project, as well as a number of other projects and smaller jobs ongoing around the site, have either been delayed or put completely on hold due to the theft of crucial items.
Despite the horror of the break-in, the outpouring of support from the local community has been, quite honestly, amazing so far. We have had a number of individuals approach us from all walks of life, offering to help however they can. We are really greatful for any and all help we can get! If you think you might be able to help us at all, in any way, please do head on over to our Contact page to get in touch with the Trustee Team.
Whilst we were all hoping to be able to welcome visitors back to site, we all knew deep down that it was a bit optimistic – but all of our Trustee and Volunteer Teams are working hard to keep Slough Fort ready and waiting for you all as soon as it’s safe to reopen our gates once more.
That’s all for now, but if you’d like to find out more about the activities that have taken place at Slough Fort over the last few months, head on over to our Facebook page – just search for ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’!
Hello Everyone!
Welcome to our new website!
Our Trustee Team have been working hard alongside Shopblocks to bring you our brand new, streamlined website – what do you think?
The Trustees have also been working hard in the background to keep the Slough Fort Preservation Trust up and running, and keep the Slough Fort site ready and waiting for when we can have you all back.
While there are no immediate plans to reopen Slough Fort yet, the Trust is always keeping an eye on the UK Government guidance for when we might be able to – keep an eye on our Facebook page, ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’, for more!
We hope to welcome you all back to Slough Fort as soon as we can, and we hope you are all as excited to soon be back as we are to have you!
Hello Everyone!
During these troubling times, the Slough Fort Preservation Trust hopes to keep a smile on your face and an appetite for Slough Fort and local history!
On our Facebook page we have been running a Throwback Thursday and a Flashback Friday every week for the last few weeks with old photos to showcase and celebrate all the hard work our Volunteers do for us!
Without our Volunteers, Slough Fort would not be anywhere close to the condition it is in today. A big Slough Fort thank you to all our Volunteers!
If you would like to join our Volunteer Team in the future, please use the contact form on the Volunteering page here on our website.
We will keep working hard in the background to keep Slough Fort ready and waiting for when this all eventually blows over.
Keep yourselves safe and well, and we hope to see you all back at Slough Fort as soon as we can.
Hello Everyone!
While there has been a stop on our Volunteer Work Days, the Slough Fort Trustee Team have been hard at work in the background with some of the essential work that is needed to keep the Slough Fort Preservation Trust up and running, such as applying for grants and building professional relationships with other organisations similar to ourselves – just because we’re at home, doesn’t mean the responsibility stops!
Over the last month, the Trustees have been conducting basic upkeep of the Slough Fort site – mainly ensuring everything is safe and keeping on top of the grass cutting, while maintaining social distancing and following Government guidance.
We will keep working hard in the background to keep Slough Fort ready and waiting for when this all eventually blows over.
Keep yourselves safe and well, and we hope to see you all back at Slough Fort as soon as we can.
Hello Everyone!
Unfortunately I have some sad news today… Slough Fort will be closing its doors until further notice in response to recent UK Government guidelines surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. Below is a statement from the Trustees of the Slough Fort Preservation Trust…
“It is with regret that following the most recent developments and in line with the UK Government recommendations, the Trustees of the Slough Fort Preservation Trust have taken the decision to postpone all events held at Slough Fort until further notice to help safeguard the public, our Volunteer Team, and our Trustee Team.
All Volunteer Workdays, Tours and other events such as our Easter Open Day, VE Day celebrations and other events will be suspended with immediate effect.
Our decision will be reviewed at regluar intervals and we will keep everyone informed as best we can via email (to sign up to emails, please head over to our Volunteering page), our social media accounts, and here on our website.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our Volunteers for their continued support and our thoughts are with all our Volunteers, supporters and the general public during this worrying time.
Please stay safe and take care, and we hope to see you all back at Slough Fort soon.”
Hello Everyone!
Our 12-Pounder gun has returned to Slough Fort!
The gun was sent off for specialised restoration and repair work back in June 2019, and was returned to site earlier this month. After months of hard work, the 12-Pounder is almost ready to be moved to its final position – on top of the Central Fort.
Some of the work that had to be carried out included the fabrication of a new base and the creation of a shield similiar to the one that the gun’s original crew would have had. As well as this, the gun now pivots, too! As you can see in the photo, the gun has been painted in a protective coating of red oxide.
All that is left to do now is paint the 12-Pounder with its final coat of paint and lift it in to position – both things we hope to have completed well in advance of Slough Fort opening to visitors again in April.
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
Big news this month!
Thanks to Marshalls CPM, we have had a large concrete pipe fabricated and adjusted to our needs to allow us to built our very own Tett Turret.
In the photo above is one of our Trustees, Neil, alongside the Marshalls CPM Production Manager at their site in the South West. A big Slough Fort thank you to all involved at Marshalls!
As well as this, our Volunteers have been working hard applying limewash to the East Wing Battery. This is a very messy job, but is an essential one to keep the Wing Battery in a good condition.
Limewash is a lime and water mix that is very runny – meaning that not only do the walls and ceilings get covered, but our poor Volunteers do, too! Luckily, all our Volunteers have been provided with goggles, masks and overalls to stop their clothes being ruined.
We can’t wait to have you all back later this year!
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
This month we held our first Community Heritage Walk!
50 poeple, led by a number of hte Slough Fort Preservation Trust’s Volunteers and Trustee Team, walked across the Allhallows marshes on a very sunny day. Although it was very muddy, the Community Heritage Walk went well, with walkers having carried out a four mile loop around Allhallows – with the Slough Fort Preservation Trust’s very own Chairman, Keith, giving talks at points of interest along the way.
We hope to run more of these Community Heritage Walks in future, so keep an eye out!
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
The Slough Fort Preservation Trust has been rather busy since last month!
Following permission from Historic England to open up one section of the Central Fort glacis and a successful grant application to Veolia, work has begun to remove approximately 600 cubic meters of earth from the northern face of the Central Fort. This work has answered some long-running questions, while raising some new ones, too!
Nonetheless, it has been interesting and exciting to see the work unfold, as well as see parts of Slough Fort that have not seen the light of day since the 1890’s. While there is still a lot of work to be carried out before this project is complete and ready for when Slough Fort reopens to the public in April 2020, we are very excited to see what other new information we might be able to uncover in the coming weeks.
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
Within the last month, two major works have begun at Slough Fort – the addition of a number of chimneys, and the installation of safety railings around the site.
The chimneys, as can be seen in the photo, are of a period design for when Slough Fort was built in the 1800’s. Orbit Housing kindly provided the Slough Fort Preservation Trust with some highly skilled bricklayers to carry out the installation works. Victorian-era chimney pots have also been sourced, and we hope to have these installed soon.
As well as our work with the chimneys, we have been working hard to make the Slough Fort site a safer place for all our Volunteers, Trustee Team and our visitors alike. Part of this has involved the installation of large amounts of safety railings across the site – in particular on the roof of the Central Fort and on top of the East Wing Battery. This is an ongoing project between the Slough Fort Preservation Trust and National Grid – Grain LNG.
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
The last two months have been very busy indeed up at Slough Fort!
All the Slough Fort team has worked hard to install the windows and doors in the East Wing Battery. These were kindly made fo us by the team at Faversham Joinery, and paid for with a grant from the Rochester Bridge Trust.
As you can see in the photo, they are not only installed but painted too! As well as working on the windows and doors, our Volunteers and Trustees have begun the long and tedious project of replacing the lathe and plaster ceilings in the Officer’s Kitchen, the Guard Room, and the Officer’s W/C.
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
This month we have had an interesting delivery to Slough Fort – the windows and doors that will eventually be installed in the East Wing Battery!
Kindly made for us by the team at Faversham Joinery and funded by a grant from the Rochester Bridge Trust, the six windows and two pairs of doors will allow us to weather-proof the Wing Battery properly and remove the temporary Perspex sheeting.
We hope to have this installed as soon as possible to allow the windows and doors to settle in to place nicely before the winter.
For more information about some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
So much as happened over the 2018/2019 Winter months its hard to sum it all up in one post!
We now have two Green Goddess fire engines and a Command Unit being stored at Slough Fort, and these as well as historic Fire Service memorabilia will be available for viewing by visitors to Slough Fort on our Sunday Tours.
However, quite possibly the most exciting thing has been the aquisition of the 12-Pounder gun shown above! This is the kind of weapon that would have been mounted on the roof of the Central Fort during the Second World War
Our Volunteers are now going to begin the painstaking task of restoring and repairing the gun before it ultimately takes pride of place looking out over the Thames Estuary.
For more information about some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
This month Slough Fort hosted its July Open Day – and it went superbly well! All the tours around the site were full to bursting, and a number of new Volunteers have signed up, too!
We also had appearances from the Portislow Artillery Volunteers (pictured), some original Model T Ford’s. and an original World War Two Jeep, amongst many other things. We plan on having another Open Day in August – why not pop down and see what other attractions we will have?
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
The Slough Fort Preservation Trust is pleased to announce its participation in the Medway Time Credits scheme. All our Volunteers can now earn Time Credits for their time spent volunteering up at Slough Fort.
These can be used at a number of attractions not only in Medway but also in London and other selected parts of the country. To coincide with this, the Trust will now begin to accept Time Credits as a form of payment for admission on our Sunday Tours, at a cost of two Credits per tour.
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
Over the last month, the 1902 recreation building has been stripped out of everything modern. Once the false ceiling has been removed the plan is to turn it in to a Reception/Visitor Centre.
Alongside the 1902 recreation building works, the stables are in the process of being removed from the Courtyard area of the Fort.
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
The Slough Fort Preservation Trust has been busy this winter!
A brand new leaflet has been produced and printed, and this has been distributed to a number of locations to help promote the Fort, as well as new signage across Allhallows Lesiure Park and beyond! In the photo you can see just one example of our many different signs – why not see how many you can spot!
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
Leading on from last month, the Slough Fort Preservation Trust has continued to work in Casemates Four and Five of the Central Fort, with even more finds being discovered! Some of the finds include an empty Drene shampoo bottle, a Charles Kinloch spirit bottle, and an empty Brooke Bonds Camp Coffee jar, amongst other things.
While working away in the Casemates, the Slough Fort Preservation Trust has also been successful in getting a grant in from Comic Relief. This will go towards a number of things, such as safety equipment and insurance costs, as well as other things. As well as the Comic Relief grant, the Trust has been successful in achieving a grant from Involving Medway. This will go towards setting up a Community Skills Workshop.
The workshop is funded by an itiative run by the Medway Clinical Commissioning Group designed to encourage people to get involved with and help make decisions about health provision in the area. The aim is to help the residents to lead healthier, happier lives through improved participation in their community.
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
Over the last month, the Slough Fort Preservation Trust has recieved lots of good news!
Firstly, we have officially gained Charitable Status, meaning that we can start to expand towards getting some major projects underway. Secondly, a date has been set for our very first Annual General Meeting on the 23rd November – all are welcome to attend.
Thirdly, the Trust has recieved a large grant towards the creation of educational and informational leaflets and other promotional pieces, so keep an eye out for some Slough Fort signs soon! Finally, we have also kindly been donated a shipping container, which will allow us to safely store our equipment.
It’s been a busy month – but with what we have planned, the next few months will be just as busy. Watch this space!
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
Work this month has started in Casemates Four and Five of the Central Fort, with all the modern flooring being removed and taken down to its original level.
A number of finds were discovered during this, including a popcorn packet in the upper level dated ‘Best Before December 1998’, a Jiffi Jelly packet (a product that was launched in the UK in 1956), and an empty Daddies Sauce bottle, amongst other things.
We hope to continue our work in Casemates Four and Five, so watch this space for more info!
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
We’ve been busy at the fort since last month! This month we hosted our very first Slough Fort Open Day – and it was a huge succes! We had a number of militaria attractions, including military vehicles from both the First and Second World Wars, as well as re-enactors dressed as soldiers from 1745 (see photo), and World War Two re-enactors.
The day seems to have been a resounding success! We hope to and plan to run more Open Days like this in the future.
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
Hello Everyone!
This month, the Slough Fort Preservation Trust attended the Allhallows Village Fete!
The Trustees manned a stall packed with information and finds from the Fort. The public was able to find out about the history of Slough Fort, discover what the Trust was setting out to do, and how to become a Volunteer. The stall was very popular, with a great interest in our finds and our replica firearms.
For more information on some of the smaller developments at Slough Fort, as well as information on some of our upcoming events, search ‘Slough Fort Preservation Trust’ on Facebook.
