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Oare gunpowder works is a scheduled ancient monument located near Faversham in Kent, representing one of England's important early industrial sites. The works dates from the sixteenth century and was established to manufacture gunpowder for military purposes during a period of significant expansion in English military capability. The site retains physical evidence of its industrial function, including structures associated with the powder mills and their characteristic layout reflecting the dangerous nature of gunpowder production. Faversham became a major centre for gunpowder manufacture, and Oare formed part of this strategically important industrial complex supplying ordnance to the Crown.
Oare gunpowder works is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1016497. View the official record →
Oare gunpowder works is a scheduled ancient monument located near Faversham in Kent, representing one of England's important early industrial sites.
Oare gunpowder works is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1016497.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Chart gunpowder mills (1.3 km), The Maison Dieu, a late C15 to early C16 building incorporating part of a medieval hospital (1.5 km), A Romano-British mausoleum, an associated Romano-British building and a parish church at Stone-by-Faversham (1.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Oare gunpowder works's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Oare gunpowder works stands on Thanet Sand Formation, bedrock that formed in the Thanetian. The rock here is sand, silt and clay.