The Thames Estuary is the gateway into London that had to be defended
against seaborne invasion. Through proximity to the Continent, these
waters were a likely passageway for those intent upon seaborne raids or
invasion, necessitating the need for a powerful naval force to be on
hand when threatened. The first fortifications date back to Roman times.
To support the British navy in these waters, four of the nation's royal
dockyards - Chatham, Deptford, Sheerness and Woolwich - were clustered
along the Thames Estuary or close by on the Medway from the sixteenth
and seventeenth centuries for the commissioning, refitting and repair of
warships. As well as being of importance for the defence of the country,
the Thames Estuary fulfilled another role: that of underpinning naval
activities designed to support British tactical and strategic operations
in more distant parts of the world. Close to the mouth of the Thames,
and near the point of confluence with the Medway, was the Nore, a key
naval anchorage where newly commissioned warship assembled, taking on
crews and receiving final instructions before joining the active
seagoing fleet. In the twentieth century, additional defences against
attack by submarine or from the air were established, and gunpowder
factories sited along the estuary. This book will be of interest to all
those who would like to know more about the remarkable military history
of the Thames Estuary over the last 2,000 years.
