Purfleet

Description

Artillery battery of 1588 covering the Thames. Probably an earthwork and short lived. The exact site lost, must have been on the river bank but even the line of the C16 river bank is uncertain since the area has been heavily developed. Probably within square TQ5677. (Kent)

The Thamesis Descriptio Anno 1588 is a map showing the defence along the River Thames from London to Tilbury in case of attack from the Spanish Armada. The plate was produced in the 18th Century from an original survey made by Robert Adams at the end of the 16th Century. The map features title in cartouche with royal arms above the plan, compass rose at top right and scale bar in cartouche below the plan. It shows the fortifications and points of observation along the river, the pontoon between Gravesend and Tilbury, the main defence against the advancing Armada, and the military encampment at Tilbury chosen by the Earl of Leicester, commander in chief of the land forces. (British Library Online Gallery)

Although London would have had the manpower and resources to produce these wicker and earth gun emplacements the plan may be of proposed works rather than actual constructed defences. Possibly depicted as the site of 4 pieces. Reading the Thames Descriptio map is difficult but the fort is shown as opposite 'Dartforde Creeke' (River Darent) which doesn't seem to have moved much from it's late medieval course hence the given map reference and the difference from that given by Kent.