On this day in Tudor history, 26th July 1588, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, troops prepared for the expected Spanish invasion.
4,000 men assembled at Tilbury Fort on the north bank of the River Thames in an effort to prevent the Spanish Armada from travelling up the river and attacking London.
Let me explain what had led up to this day...
Also on this day in Tudor history in 1538, in the reign of King Henry VIII, George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, died.
Shrewsbury was a loyal servant of the Crown and a soldier.
Find out more about him in this edition of #TudorHistoryShorts...
The defences of the Thames created by Henry included five brick and stone ‘blockhouses’ one being directly across from Tilbury in Gravesend – The remains were revealed by an archaeological dig a few years ago but these are now ‘at risk’ from neglect https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/about-us/groups/group-posts/hope-decaying-tudor-blockhouse-gravesend