Now that's an address: 19th-century bomb-proof fort called Number One, The Thames goes on sale for £500,000 (and it could be turned into a unique home)

T he bomb-proof 150-year-old sea defence is sat 1km off the Isle of Grain, Kent, where the Medway and Thames meet

The fort, known as Grain Tower Battery, can only be accessed by a half-mile walk at low tide, or by boat or helicopter

It was built in 1855 to protect Chatham and Sheerness dockyards, was used in World War II and has its own gun tower



Agent Nigel Day - who said it needs £1m renovation - said : 'We 've sold nice buildings, but we've never sold a fort'


If having your own gun tower isn't quite enough for the wow factor, few things can beat saying you live at what some say is the world's best address - Number One, The Thames.

This 150-year-old sea defence, known as the Grain Tower Battery, is based on a spit of land 1km off the Isle of Grain, Kent, where the Thames and the Medway meet - and is now up for sale for £500,000.



But, despite the unrivalled sea views and certainty for privacy, there are some drawbacks - including the fact you can only get there during low tide. At high tide, the tower is completely cut off from the mainland and is accessible only by boat or helicopter.



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Wow factor: This former fort, which has the address of Number 1, The Thames, has been put on the market for £500,000 - but will still need £1million's worth of work to turn it into a home The 150-year-old sea defence, known as the Grain Tower Battery, is based on a spit of land 1km off the Isle of Gran, Kent, where the Thames and the Medway meet Although the property boasts unrivalled sea views and there are no immediate neighbours, the property can only be accessed either at low tide or via helicopter or boat during high tide The huge bomb-proof building, which is set over 2,3000swm of space, was built in 1855 and originally owned by The Crown before being sold to its current owner in 2005



Anyone wanting to live in this dilapidated fort will also need to pay out for an estimated £1million's worth of renovation to make it into a home.

Although the Martello-style property was modified during World War II, it has barely been touched since.

The huge bomb-proof building, which is set over 2,300sqm of space, was built in the 1855 and bought from The Crown by builder Simon Cooper.

Despite wanting to turn it into his dream home, Mr Cooper has not managed to develop the property.



The former fort is marooned off the coast of the mainland, with nothing surrounding it apart from water

The house is being billed as the ideal potential home for a city boys, who wants to commute to work by speedboat

The fort's original purpose was to serve as a key military installation, protecting Chatham and Sheerness dockyards, as well as The Thames

The fort boats stunning sea views back onto the mainland, uninterrupted by any other homes or boats, as shown above

Although its day as an estuary gun emplacement are long gone - and despite being in a dilapidated state - the imposing fort is still thought to be bomb proof

But he has drawn up plans to show how the former fort - which has 15ft-thick walls - could look when renovated.

While the estate agents are billing it as the perfect home for a city boy who wants to commute by speedboat, Mr Cooper's dream is to see a house boat marina and a water and outdoor sports centre.



The plans also show the potential to turn the fort into a mid-river nightclub or restaurant.



Nigel Day, director of Riverhomes, said: 'We sell lots of very nice properties but we’ve never sold a fort. This is a first.



But despite having an enviable position on The Thames, a lot of work needs to be done to turn the 19th Century property into a liveable home

The current owner, builder Simon Cooper, bought the home ten years ago but did not manage to spend the time renovating the property

Estate agent Nigel Day, director of Riverhomes, said that an estimated £1million needs to be spent on the property for it to be turned into a dream home



Mr Day said it is 'an amazing building' and that he is 'in awe' of its potential. He said it could be turned into something 'really special'

The property originally had an enormous gun on the roof. In 1912, two Quick Firing guns were moved to the tower. During the Second World War, it had a pair of six pounder QF guns installed

'I am in awe of what an amazing building it is and its potential, which would be subject to planning permission and negotiations with English heritage.

'It could be transformed into something really special - a stunning home, a hotel, a sanctuary or something to do with outdoor pursuits. There are so many possibilities.

'The seller has owned it for around ten years and he doesn’t have the time to do anything with it. I think you would probably look at spending a minimum of £1 million turning it into a home.'

The fort's original purpose was to serve as a key military installation, protecting Chatham and Sheerness dockyards as well as The Thames.

This map shows the remote location of Number One, The Thames - just off the Isle of Grain, where the two rivers meet

Current owner Simon Cooper, who bought the fort ten years ago, has commissioned a set of plans to show what the fort could look like. The estate agent said it could be turned into a private residence, an off-shore hotel, a houseboat community, a film location, a nightclub or a casino

This architect's image shows the revamped fort being used as a hotel or club, with a permanent walkway attached

This internal image of the proposed renovations, produced by WT Architecture, shows the building being used as a club or bar, something which the estate agent said is very plausible

Pictured are plans which show the outside and inside of the fort if it were to be converted into a bar. Mr Day said: 'It could be transformed into something really special - there are so many possibilities'



The property - 4.6miles from its nearest train station, Swale - originally had an enormous gun on the roof. In 1912 two 4.7 Quick Firing guns were moved to the tower.



During the Second World War, it had a pair of six pounder QF guns installed and a two-storey red brick barracks was built on stilts, to house 60 soldiers.

Although its days as an estuary gun emplacement are long gone - and despite being in a dilapidated state - it is still thought to be bomb proof.

With a guide price of £500,000, the fort is around three times the average price of a home sold in England and Wales last month.

But it is also the same price that a developer paid for three garages in Wandsworth last month.