Harwich Redoubt Fort was constructed in 1808 to defend the port of Harwich against a Napoleonic invasion. Ten guns sit on the battlements. Eighteen casements below would house 300 troops in siege conditions, and has an impressive 60 metre diameter. The fort stands on ground that is high relative to its fairly flat surroundings and can be reached by a track from Main Road. Originally a house stood on the site, called Hill house. This was purchased and demolished to build the fort.
The first phase of construction was the building of the Redoubt itself. A retaining wall was subsequently built in a circle outside the fort, to form a dry moat between the two. Earth was brought by pannier donkeys from the nearby low lying area (now known as Bathside) and tipped around the outside of the retaining wall to form the earthworks, which are now covered by allotments.
The cost of construction was £55,000, a huge sum at the time and work was completed in three years, impressive considering the fact that all work would have been done by hand.
Thanks to John Theobald of the Harwich Society for giving permission for the placement of this geocache.