FORTS have protected our country for centuries and helped in combat in years and battles gone by.

The Coalhouse Fort, Princess Margaret Road, East Tilbury is no exception.

Here, the Thurrock Gazette takes a look back in time through the archives at old pictures from the fort.

The site is a former artillery fort dating back to the 1860s.

It was originally built to guard the area around the lower Thames from attack from the sea.

It is estimated that the fort would have cost £130,000 to construct between the years of 1861 and 1874.

Previously the fort was equipped with a range large guns and defensive facilities, such as granite facings and cast iron shields.

A project to restore the fort, called The Coalhouse Fort Project, was started in 1983 with a dedicated team of volunteers.

In more recent years, the fort has held open days, inviting families, children and other visitors inside for a look around.