A day out with the big guns
Bang! Ka-Boom! Bring out the big guns - Landguard Fort has all the historic military kit to get you totally fired up...
LANDGUARD FORT
Felixstowe
Welcome to One of the Wonders of the East Coast
400+ Years of Coastal Defence – One Awesome Fortress
Landguard Fort is a most astounding feat of architectural engineering. A place packed full of fascinating military history by design. Home to wonderful panoramic harbour views. A lost-in-time world full of discoveries, where the maze of rooms and tunnels tell their own stories alongside engaging exhibits. Landguard Fort doesn’t just have something for all ages and interests, it’s a great value invitation for everyone to share.
Take a look at what’s inside…
Meet the 95th Rifles
Colourful and explosive Napoleonic military re-enactment events at Landguard Fort
Discover Landguard Fort
Landguard Fort is a closely guarded secret. Low-lying, almost unassuming even, from outside the fort it is really quite impossible to appreciate the sheer size, complexity and completeness of one of the East Coast’s most impressive military defences.
For centuries, fortifications here controlled and protected the only deep water port on the east coast between the Humber and Thames. Guarding the all-important entrance to Harwich harbour at the mouth the Rivers Orwell and Stour, Landguard Fort played a vital role in defending Britain. Amazingly, so much of it still remains intact.
Read More
Experience Landguard Fort – Inside & Out
Cross the drawbridge, and from the moment you step inside, the discoveries just keep coming. Archways, tunnels, green spaces and parade grounds, wheels of rooms, lofty gun emplacement platforms… There are reconstructed barrack scenes and gunpowder barrels; cabinets to peer into; stories from soldiers who served here shared down telephones or tales of times and gunfire past piped straight to your ears through your free audio guide.
Landguard Fort is not just a building and it’s more than a museum – it’s a really special one-of-a-kind experience.
Find out moreLandguard Fort History in a Nutshell
King Henry VIII commissioned the first fortifications here, but the Grade I listed fort on view today dates from the mid 1700s. There are substantial 19th and 20th century outside artillery batteries too – evidence of continuous occupation of the site through two World Wars and into the 1950s.
A visit to Landguard Fort touches every period of coastal defence history since Tudor times. Yet the fort is just part of a bigger picture which stretches Landguard-wide… and beyond.
Fort Timeline Landguard's History
Landguard’s Fort is only Half the Story
When the Port of Felixstowe’s cranes dominate the Landguard skyline these days, it’s seems strange that the fort’s main purpose for centuries was to guard and defend Harwich Harbour on the other side of the river.
Whilst Landguard Fort dominated the navigable channel on the Orwell’s north bank, another fort, The Redoubt at Harwich (open to visitors) guarded the harbour entrance alongside a large battery at Shotley. The entire estuaries area is known as The Harwich Haven. Harwich and Shotley are served by the foot ferry from Landguard View Point.
Harwich Haven Harbour FerryVisit the Fort’s 1940s-style Tea Room
Located near the Guard Room alongside the Outer Parade area, the 1940s-style Tea Room sells hot and cold drinks and a range of cakes and snacks. Sit indoors or out and drink in the atmosphere along with your cuppa. It’s the ideal spot to relax even read your guide book pre-, mid-, or post visit.
And don’t miss the nearby gift shop for more topical books and take home treats!
Find out more
Join the Volunteer Team
Visit Landguard Fort and you can’t miss meeting our volunteers. What’s more, if you live locally and have a few hours to spare, you could be one of them! As a registered charity, the Fort relies strongly on its volunteer team to keep this historic monument conserved, maintained and open to the public.
From maintenance to marketing and stewarding to serving in the tearoom, there’s something for everyone. Why not check out the opportunities and benefits of joining the Fort’s sociable and friendly ‘Landguard-ians’?
Get Involved Support the FortLandguard Fort Educational & Group Visits
There are hands-on learning opportunities for all ages at Landguard Fort. From curriculum-linked topics to special themed talks and tours, our enthusiastic and knowledgeable team can tailor and deliver a wide range of educational and group experiences to suit all ages and areas of interests.
Convenient coach parking * Comprehensive facilities: toilets, classrooms, eating areas * Customizable visits * Themed tours & talks
Landguard Fort
Visit Landguard Fort to explore one of England’s best preserved coastal defences and the site of the last opposed seaborne invasion of England in 1667 – the first land battle of the Royal Marines. Discover the rich military and maritime heritage of an awesome estuary-side fortress with a history spanning almost 450 years – defender of the only deep water port on the east coast between the Humber and the Thames.
The dramatic story of this important fortification unfolds through its maze of rooms, tunnels and passageways and the panoramic views it shares of Harwich Haven. Enjoy informative displays, audio visual presentations and explore the extensive two-storey military labyrinth through ‘free-flow’ multi-media audio guides, dedicated guided tours, special events and an annual programme of live history re-enactments.
There’s still evidence of the first fortification built on the site by King Henry VIII, but the Grade I listed Fort on view today was built in the mid 1700s. It includes substantial outside artillery batteries added in the 1800s and 1900s and was continuously occupied throughout both World Wars and up until 1956.
Cared for & Shared by a Charity
Landguard Fort is run by the Landguard Fort Trust, a registered charity dedicated to sharing this Grade I listed building and scheduled ancient monument site with the public. It relies heavily on donations and the support of its amazing team of volunteers.
By arrangement with English Heritage, the Trust looks after all aspects of conservation, maintenance and opens the historic monument to the public. Entrance to Landguard Fort is free to visitors holding a valid English Heritage membership card (except event days).
Dog-friendly & Family-friendly Landguard Fort
Landguard Fort makes for a superb family time out together. With so much to explore upstairs and down, inside and out, young visitors love the sheer extent of places to find as well as the interesting things they find in them! Why not take a look at our range of tours and trails? And don’t forget – you’re welcome to bring your picnic too!
Well-behaved dogs (with well-behaved owners!) are very welcome inside the fort. The only exceptions are the shop and 1940s-style Tea Room, but there’s outdoor seating nearby and there’s a water bowl for dogs too.
