© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)
Shorncliffe Battery wall is a defensive fortification constructed during the Napoleonic Wars as part of the extensive military preparations undertaken along the Kent coast. Built in the early nineteenth century, the structure forms part of the Royal Military Canal's defensive system, which was designed to provide a protected position for troops and artillery in the event of French invasion. The wall survives as a substantial brick and masonry structure that demonstrates the engineering practices of the Napoleonic period. This monument represents a significant phase of British military investment in coastal defence during one of the nation's most challenging periods, reflecting contemporary fears of invasion that prompted comprehensive fortification of vulnerable shorelines.
Royal Military Canal, Shorncliffe Battery wall is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1005117. View the official record →
Shorncliffe Battery wall is a defensive fortification constructed during the Napoleonic Wars as part of the extensive military preparations undertaken along the Kent coast. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1005117.
Royal Military Canal, Shorncliffe Battery wall 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 1005117.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Martello tower no 9, Sandgate, Folkestone (0.2 km), Royal Military Canal, Seabrook Lodge Bridge to Seabrook Sluice (0.6 km), Sandgate Castle (1.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Royal Military Canal, Shorncliffe Battery wall'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.
Royal Military Canal, Shorncliffe Battery wall stands on Wealden Group, bedrock that formed in the Barremian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.