Sometimes, it is obvious. For example, Coalhouse Fort was built to guard the lower part of the River Thames from attack from the French in the 19th century. It is a solidly built building surrounded by a wide water-filled ditch. It isn’t pretty but . . . maybe it was enough for people to feel safe . . . for a while.
Sometimes, it is not so obvious. Exploring the foreshore along the River Thames not far from the Port of Tilbury, there is a ‘water tower’ . . . except it wasn’t! In World War 2, the British had new technology – radar. Not wanting to draw attention to it, a ‘water tower’ appeared on local maps. However, I should imagine it didn’t take long for local people to work out what it was really used for. There is a small entrance to the lower level used for accommodation and another to access the generator – now covered in graffiti. However, on a cold, drab day . . . good practice for using a neutral-density filter and long exposure . . . except when it started to spot with rain -the joys of photography.
