IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Austen Close, LONDON, SE28 8AZ

A substantial amount of the land at Thamesmead once formed part of the Royal Arsenal where explosives and weapons were manufactured, tested and stored. About 30 moated magazines, known as tumps, were built around 1890 to direct any accidental explosion harmlessly upwards. Some of the tumps have been preserved within Thamesmead. The brick walls, banked with earth have been preserved but the special lightweight roofs have been removed. After the First World War the Arsenal declined because it lay too far from coal and steel sources and the site was vulnerable to air attacks. The GLC was able to purchase the land from the Ministry of Defence in 1965 to build Thamesmead on the site. This is Tump 53 which is now a nature reserve. It is on the other side of the canal and the old walls are largely hidden by vegetation. See https://www.visitgreenwich.org.uk/thamesmead/ for more information and contact details.

A substantial amount of the land at Thamesmead once formed part of the Royal Arsenal where explosives and weapons were manufactured, tested and stored. About 30 moated magazines, known as tumps, were built around 1890 to direct any accidental explosion harmlessly upwards. Some of the tumps have been preserved within Thamesmead. The brick walls, banked with earth have been preserved but the special lightweight roofs have been removed. After the First World War the Arsenal declined because it lay too far from coal and steel sources and the site was vulnerable to air attacks. The GLC was able to purchase the land from the Ministry of Defence in 1965 to build Thamesmead on the site. This is Tump 53 which is now a nature reserve. It is on the other side of the canal and the old walls are largely hidden by vegetation. See https://www.visitgreenwich.org.uk/thamesmead/ for more information and contact details.

A substantial amount of the land at Thamesmead once formed part of the Royal Arsenal where explosives and weapons were manufactured, tested and stored. About 30 moated magazines, known as tumps, were built around 1890 to direct any accidental explosion harmlessly upwards. Some of the tumps have been preserved within Thamesmead. The brick walls, banked with earth have been preserved but the special lightweight roofs have been removed. After the First World War the Arsenal declined because it lay too far from coal and steel sources and the site was vulnerable to air attacks. The GLC was able to purchase the land from the Ministry of Defence in 1965 to build Thamesmead on the site. This is Tump 53 which is now a nature reserve. It is on the other side of the canal and the old walls are largely hidden by vegetation. See https://www.visitgreenwich.org.uk/thamesmead/ for more information and contact details.

Apart from being built on former marshland, with many of the former drainage dykes being landscaped, most of the area was also part of the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. The remote marshes were ideal for testing explosives and to do this a series of brick enclosures called tumps were constructed. Any explosion occurring would then be directed upwards. Some of the tumps have survived to become part of the landscape as here - the outer brick wall can just be made out beyond the silver birches. This tump, known as Tump 53, has been a nature reserve run by the London Wildlife Trust for many years.

Apart from being built on former marshland, with many of the former drainage dykes being landscaped as seen here, most of the area was also part of the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. The remote marshes were ideal for testing explosives and to do this a series of brick enclosures called tumps were constructed. Any explosion occurring would then be directed upwards. Some of the tumps have survived to become part of the landscape as here - the outer brick wall is on the left behind the trees. This tump, known as Tump 53, has been a nature reserve run by the London Wildlife Trust for many years.

One of the network of watercourses in Thamesmead, this one is at the rear of the houses in Austen Close. Apart from the coot in the water a heron is just visible lurking on the top of the bank to the right. The Thamesmead development has been built on the former Plumstead Marshes.

One of the many blocks of (post war development) flats along Titmus Avenue

Apart from being built on former marshland, with many of the former drainage dykes being landscaped as seen here, most of the area was also part of the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. The remote marshes were ideal for testing explosives and to do this a series of brick enclosures called tumps were constructed. Any explosion occurring would then be directed upwards. Some of the tumps have survived to become part of the landscape as here - the outer brick wall can just be made out on the right. This tump, known as Tump 53, has been a nature reserve run by the London Wildlife Trust for many years.

This is seen from Bentham Road. Tump 53 is hidden behind the trees.

A substantial amount of the land at Thamesmead once formed part of the Royal Arsenal where explosives and weapons were manufactured, tested and stored. About 30 moated magazines, known as tumps, were built around 1890 to direct any accidental explosion harmlessly upwards. Some of the tumps have been preserved within Thamesmead. The brick walls, banked with earth have been preserved but the special lightweight roofs have been removed. After the First World War the Arsenal declined because it lay too far from coal and steel sources and the site was vulnerable to air attacks. The GLC was able to purchase the land from the Ministry of Defence in 1965 to build Thamesmead on the site. This is Tump 53 which is now a nature reserve. It is on the left hand side of the canal and the old walls are largely hidden by vegetation. Bentham Road is up the bank to the right. See https://www.visitgreenwich.org.uk/thamesmead/ for more information and contact details.