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© Flickr/Creative Commons
0 / 31 Fotos
Relics from the past - The shores off the coast of the UK are filled with the remnants of past wars and conflicts. These bizarre structures have since been re-purposed in a number of unexpected ways.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Maunsell forts - These constructions are named after the man who built them, Guy Maunsell, a WWII civil engineer. They lie in the mouth of the Thames estuary.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Construction - They were originally built in 1942-3, and were first assembled and then sunk into the channel, in a similar way to an oil rig.
© Getty Images
3 / 31 Fotos
Defense from invasion - They served the vital purpose of repelling German aerial attacks, as well as preventing enemy forces from laying mines in the Thames estuary.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
Decommissioned - They were operated up until the 1950s, when they were decommissioned. They were then abandoned and left to fall into disrepair.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
Radio - As the ‘60s began to change the British cultural landscape, the British government still held control over the radio.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Cultural landmark - Enterprising music pioneers, like John Peel, saw the perfect opportunity to make their mark on the British airwaves.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
Pirate radio - They took to international waters to broadcast from pirate radio stations, from boats and other offshore structures.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
Squatters - Taking advantage of their location, groups of music enthusiasts took over the abandoned sea forts and started broadcasting rock and pop music, outside of the jurisdiction of the British government.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Pirates - A number of radio stations operated from the sea forts, Radio Sutch, Radio City in Shivering Sands, Radio Invicta and Radio 390 from Red Sands. Fort Roughs was home to Britain’s Better Music Station.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Trouble among pirates - However, the good times didn’t last. Fights broke out among the groups occupying the forts, over broadcasting rights and funding. This culminated in the death of Reginald Calvert (pictured).
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Death - After fight over control of the pirate radio station, he went to Oliver Smedley's (pictured) house to confront him. When he arrived, Smedley shot him.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
End of an era - Calvert's widow attempted to keep Radio City running, but after the negative publicity surrounding the case, the British government passed the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act in 1967, outlawing pirate radios.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
HM Fort Roughs - Like in the other forts, Fort Roughs was not free from drama. It was initially occupied in 1965.
© Public domain
14 / 31 Fotos
Violent seizure - Paddy Roy Bates, a former army major, had been broadcasting from Knock John tower, a Maunsell sea fort he had seized from Radio City.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Britain's Better Music Station - He then moved to Fort Roughs in 1967, initially intending to continue broadcasting from there. However, with the enforcement of the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act, he could no longer do so.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Principality of Sealand - Instead, Bates declared the fort to be the Principality of Sealand, seeking to establish Fort Roughs as a micro-nation.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Recognition - After a conflict with workmen attempting to reach a navigational buoy near the platform, Bates and his son were brought to a British court to face weapons charges, which the judge dismissed, citing lack of jurisdiction as the "principality" lay in international waters.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
Constitution - Bates considered this to mean de facto recognition of his micro-nation. He created a currency, passports and even a constitution.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
Takeover - A group of mercenaries attempted to take the tower in 1978, led by German lawyer Alexander Achenbach. The invasion failed, and Achenbach was captured. The German government had to negotiate with the self-declared nation for his release, as the British government refused to intervene.
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
Fire - Bates died in 2012, and the principality is continued by his son, Michael. It has since suffered a serious fire, and file-sharing site The Pirate Bay has also attempted to purchase it in 2007.
© Public domain
21 / 31 Fotos
Disrepair - The forts continue in a state of abandonment. In 200,5 artist Stephen Turner, who creates projects on abandoned places, spent one month in the searchlight tower of Shivering Sands fort.
© iStock
22 / 31 Fotos
Future plans - The future of the sea forts is uncertain, though there have been proposals suggesting that they be transformed into a luxury hotel.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Other sea forts - The WWII-era structures are not the only sea forts in the UK. The Solent forts, situated off the coast of Portsmouth, were built during the Napoleonic wars in order to protect Britain from potential invasion.
© iStock
24 / 31 Fotos
War - They never actually saw any action, and have since been re-purposed for different uses.
© iStock
25 / 31 Fotos
Party venues - No Man's fort and Spitbank fort have been renovated and offer luxury accommodation.
© iStock
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Spitbank - The fort has more than 40 rooms, and has hosted festivals, dance parties and wedding receptions. It even has it's own swimming pool.
© Shutterstock
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No Man's Land - The slightly-bigger No Man's Land fort was sold for over a million in 2009. It now operates as a luxury hotel.
© iStock
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St Helens - Other forts in the Solent include St Helens and Horse Sand fort. Horse Sand fort was not renovated and a few years ago was placed on the market for £1 million.
© iStock
29 / 31 Fotos
Day trip - St Helens is accessible by foot at low tide, and at the lowest tides of the year there is a mass walk from St Helens beach.
© iStock
30 / 31 Fotos
© Flickr/Creative Commons
0 / 31 Fotos
Relics from the past - The shores off the coast of the UK are filled with the remnants of past wars and conflicts. These bizarre structures have since been re-purposed in a number of unexpected ways.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Maunsell forts - These constructions are named after the man who built them, Guy Maunsell, a WWII civil engineer. They lie in the mouth of the Thames estuary.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Construction - They were originally built in 1942-3, and were first assembled and then sunk into the channel, in a similar way to an oil rig.
© Getty Images
3 / 31 Fotos
Defense from invasion - They served the vital purpose of repelling German aerial attacks, as well as preventing enemy forces from laying mines in the Thames estuary.
© Getty Images
4 / 31 Fotos
Decommissioned - They were operated up until the 1950s, when they were decommissioned. They were then abandoned and left to fall into disrepair.
© Getty Images
5 / 31 Fotos
Radio - As the ‘60s began to change the British cultural landscape, the British government still held control over the radio.
© Getty Images
6 / 31 Fotos
Cultural landmark - Enterprising music pioneers, like John Peel, saw the perfect opportunity to make their mark on the British airwaves.
© Getty Images
7 / 31 Fotos
Pirate radio - They took to international waters to broadcast from pirate radio stations, from boats and other offshore structures.
© Getty Images
8 / 31 Fotos
Squatters - Taking advantage of their location, groups of music enthusiasts took over the abandoned sea forts and started broadcasting rock and pop music, outside of the jurisdiction of the British government.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Pirates - A number of radio stations operated from the sea forts, Radio Sutch, Radio City in Shivering Sands, Radio Invicta and Radio 390 from Red Sands. Fort Roughs was home to Britain’s Better Music Station.
© Getty Images
10 / 31 Fotos
Trouble among pirates - However, the good times didn’t last. Fights broke out among the groups occupying the forts, over broadcasting rights and funding. This culminated in the death of Reginald Calvert (pictured).
© Getty Images
11 / 31 Fotos
Death - After fight over control of the pirate radio station, he went to Oliver Smedley's (pictured) house to confront him. When he arrived, Smedley shot him.
© Getty Images
12 / 31 Fotos
End of an era - Calvert's widow attempted to keep Radio City running, but after the negative publicity surrounding the case, the British government passed the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act in 1967, outlawing pirate radios.
© Getty Images
13 / 31 Fotos
HM Fort Roughs - Like in the other forts, Fort Roughs was not free from drama. It was initially occupied in 1965.
© Public domain
14 / 31 Fotos
Violent seizure - Paddy Roy Bates, a former army major, had been broadcasting from Knock John tower, a Maunsell sea fort he had seized from Radio City.
© Getty Images
15 / 31 Fotos
Britain's Better Music Station - He then moved to Fort Roughs in 1967, initially intending to continue broadcasting from there. However, with the enforcement of the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act, he could no longer do so.
© Getty Images
16 / 31 Fotos
Principality of Sealand - Instead, Bates declared the fort to be the Principality of Sealand, seeking to establish Fort Roughs as a micro-nation.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Recognition - After a conflict with workmen attempting to reach a navigational buoy near the platform, Bates and his son were brought to a British court to face weapons charges, which the judge dismissed, citing lack of jurisdiction as the "principality" lay in international waters.
© Getty Images
18 / 31 Fotos
Constitution - Bates considered this to mean de facto recognition of his micro-nation. He created a currency, passports and even a constitution.
© Getty Images
19 / 31 Fotos
Takeover - A group of mercenaries attempted to take the tower in 1978, led by German lawyer Alexander Achenbach. The invasion failed, and Achenbach was captured. The German government had to negotiate with the self-declared nation for his release, as the British government refused to intervene.
© Getty Images
20 / 31 Fotos
Fire - Bates died in 2012, and the principality is continued by his son, Michael. It has since suffered a serious fire, and file-sharing site The Pirate Bay has also attempted to purchase it in 2007.
© Public domain
21 / 31 Fotos
Disrepair - The forts continue in a state of abandonment. In 200,5 artist Stephen Turner, who creates projects on abandoned places, spent one month in the searchlight tower of Shivering Sands fort.
© iStock
22 / 31 Fotos
Future plans - The future of the sea forts is uncertain, though there have been proposals suggesting that they be transformed into a luxury hotel.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Other sea forts - The WWII-era structures are not the only sea forts in the UK. The Solent forts, situated off the coast of Portsmouth, were built during the Napoleonic wars in order to protect Britain from potential invasion.
© iStock
24 / 31 Fotos
War - They never actually saw any action, and have since been re-purposed for different uses.
© iStock
25 / 31 Fotos
Party venues - No Man's fort and Spitbank fort have been renovated and offer luxury accommodation.
© iStock
26 / 31 Fotos
Spitbank - The fort has more than 40 rooms, and has hosted festivals, dance parties and wedding receptions. It even has it's own swimming pool.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
No Man's Land - The slightly-bigger No Man's Land fort was sold for over a million in 2009. It now operates as a luxury hotel.
© iStock
28 / 31 Fotos
St Helens - Other forts in the Solent include St Helens and Horse Sand fort. Horse Sand fort was not renovated and a few years ago was placed on the market for £1 million.
© iStock
29 / 31 Fotos
Day trip - St Helens is accessible by foot at low tide, and at the lowest tides of the year there is a mass walk from St Helens beach.
© iStock
30 / 31 Fotos
The bizarre history of Britain's abandoned sea forts
A micro-nation, pirate radios and luxury hotels
© Flickr/Creative Commons
There are many abandoned sea forts in the waters off the coast of the Britain. These surreal structures were initially used for defensive purposes, though many of them are now derelict, or have taken on strange new uses.
Take a look through the gallery to find out more about Britain's lost sea forts.
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