Coxheath Camp

Coxheath Camp was a military encampment located close to the village of Coxheath near Maidstone in Kent. During the Seven Years' War, American War of Independence and Napoleonic Wars it was a significant base for the British Army preparing for threatened invasions by France.

In 1756, fearing an invasion from France, Britain deployed a large number of Hanoverian auxiliaries in the area.^[1] it became a source of controversy with Patriot Whigs such as William Pitt. In September this came to a head when a soldier was arrested by local authorities.^[2]

In 1778 when France formed an alliance with American rebels, Britain was again in danger of invasion. Coxheath was one of a number of large camps formed in Southern England, with others at Warley, Brighton and Bury St Edmunds.^[3] Although the threat lasted until 1782, the major attempt to invade Britain, the Franco-Spanish Armada of 1779, was a distinct failure. Instead the camp became known for its fashionable social life as members of high society were frequently seen there.