GRAND REDOUBT FORT
Palmarsh Dymchurch Hythe CT21

The Dymchurch Grand Redoubt is located on the south (seaward) side of the A259 main road roughly halfway between the village of Dymchurch and the town of Hythe. It is located on the edge of the Palmarsh community, and about two miles from Dymchurch, whose name it bears. It built during the Napoleonic War as part of a large defensive scheme to protect the country from an expected French invasion.
It is circular in form and built of brick with granite and sandstone dressings measuring up to 68 metres in diameter and stands 12 metres above the floor of its 9-metre-wide ditch or dry moat. An earth bank or glacis helped to protect the masonry from artillery fire. Built on two stories, the upper floor had open emplacements for ten 24 pounder guns mounted on wooden traversing platforms. The lower floor featured twenty-four vaulted barrack and storage casemates that opened onto a circular parade ground. A double, external stone staircase, situated behind the entrance, leads down from the gun platform to the parade ground. A more direct link between the gun platform and the casemates below, was provided by three internal stone staircases, set within the thickness of the outer wall of the redoubt. The 24 vaulted, barrack casemates were arranged around the central parade ground and are interlinked, together with smaller, intervening chambers by a central walkway. They provided accommodation for up to 350 men and officers, as well as stores for ammunition and supplies. The water supply was held in rainwater collection cisterns, installed beneath the floors. Entry was originally via a wooden footbridge supported by stilts, which could be collapsed in an emergency.
The design and purpose was finalised at a conference in Rochester in 1804 and was built between 1804 and 1812 to support a chain of 21 Martello Towers that stretched between Hythe in Kent and Rye in Sussex, and to act as a supply depot for them. It protected the sluices that were the key to the drainage of Romney Marsh But the time it was finished, the invasion threat was over. 
During World War I, it was used for troop accommodation, although there was a question in Parliament about the damp conditions, due to the location on the marshes.
In March 1916 Major Francis Bennett-Goldney MP for Canterbury asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if there are any records at the War Office condemning the old redoubt at Dymchurch as unfit for habitation. His attention had been drawn to the report that the only sleeping rooms, which are underground and really formed out of the arched vaults supporting the superstructure, were, before certain soldiers were moved to the front and elsewhere, reeking with damp and that the water in wet weather dripped from the roofs on to the men's beds.The sleeping arches had to be used also as eating rooms and the workrooms for additional purposes, and that the accommodation was not only so unhealthy that the men suffered much from chills and sore throats, but that it was also altogether inadequate for the purposes for which it was used; whether the drainage arrangements have since been modernised or whether the only cesspit is still overflowing owing to its level being below that of spring tides and, if there has been no change during the last three weeks, whether he would take immediate steps to provide other and more suitable quarters?
Mr Harold Tennent, wrote back informing him he knew of no records of the condemnation of the Dymchurch redoubt. The drainage arrangements had not been modernised, but steps were being taken to improve matters. He said there were nine large rooms, each capable of holding seventeen men and these rooms had fair ventilation, open fireplaces, and were dry and clean. Steps were being taken to add windows to some of the rooms where they are deficient. The sanitary officer had reported that the quarters, cookhouse and stores were clean and well kept. There was no overcrowding. Owing to the number of troops requiring accommodation at the present time, some old buildings, including Dymchurch redoubt, had of necessity to be occupied, so It was not considered necessary to provide other quarters.
In World War II, the south coast was again at risk of invasion.  A prominent battery observation post was built and pillboxes were sited on the parapet in order to repel an infantry attack and two 6 inch breech-loading guns were mounted in casemates built over the original gun emplacements.  It was fully operational by 1942 as an Emergency Coastal Battery.
After the war, the observation post was used as a Coastguard lookout and radar was installed to monitor shipping in the English Channel. 
The army constructed a mock-up of a street of buildings in the interior, for training in urban warfare in the 1970's  and it was used as an Urban training facility for soldiers destined for Northern Ireland. Large concrete panels were fixed to the interior walls of the courtyard via scaffolding and shaped / painted to depict street scenes.
The redoubt remains the property of the Ministry of Defence and it is still used for training troops in close-quarters fighting - a purpose built 'Killing Hut' and various casemates are the new playgrounds which benefit from low velocity training ammunition and paint / plastic marking technology, as well as various electronic enhancements.
It became a Scheduled Monument on 19th October 1964 and was listed by English Heritage in 2021 as a Building at Risk, although a conservation plan has been agreed.
It is not open to the public, but you can walk along the sea wall which allows a close approach on the south side. Further access may be restricted when there is firing on Hythe Ranges. When the ranges are in use, prominent red flags are flown, supplemented by red lights during night firing practice. Due to the risk of ricochet during firing, a Range Safety Boat is present to prevent boats entering the danger area.
**HAUNTINGS**
A couple of Paranormal groups had access to the building over a decade ago and have reported activity and EVPs during their time there.  You can check out their videos via Ghosthuntevents Website for Photo, audio & video evidence HERE

You can watch past paranormal events, visitors experiences, evidence and activities on the GofEPS YouTube playlist HERE