Winchelsea, Westmount & Priory Hill Tunnel System, Dover, Dover - Dec/Jan 2010

[DarkDog]

Visited over the course of several weeks, and using a mixture of film and digital.

A very different form of tunnel construction to the usual Napoleonic era hand hewn tunnels and WWII lined tunnels normally found in and around Dover.

Until recently, an Engineering Company used the front sections as storage, they have now moved on and the tunnels are now explorable.

The Winchelsea, Westmount & Priory Hill Tunnel system seems to have been extended from the original quarry caves by using a boring machine, with the floor sections being cut in afterwards and blockwork arch sections being inserted at regular intervals.

At what point the extensions were constructed? Assumption would lead us to believe it was in the period 1936-8 - then again, we all know what assumption is the mother of! Possible the boring machine was already on site, being used in the quarry but very little information is forthcoming.

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Entering the Priory Hill section

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2758/4190220687_04a50447bd.jpg
Looking back to the breeze block wall

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The far end of the Priory Hill section

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4190989196_7d0970a39d.jpg
The Westmount section

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Fiveways Junction - all the tunnels converge at this point.

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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2785/4340924594_e2f3b741ae.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4007/4340902994_3bfd6985f3.jpg

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The walls are covered in 1940s graffiti

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4307082601_dcd5e08278.jpg

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[J4M35_UK]

This is proper cool

[vwdirtboy]

Fucking sweet explore man! Am Green :crazy

[caiman]

The circular bored tunnels are really interesting - I wonder whether this was a trial site for the equipment used in one of the earlier attempts on the Channel Tunnel? It would have no application in quarrying. The arched sections also look similar to those tried in the early attempts.

[rookinella]

Take it to PM guys, no need for mud wrestling here :)

[REEF]

Never heard of this one, nice one guys.

Another trip to dover brewing......

[Herbivore]

Here's a wartime shot of Dover folk sheltering during an air-raid.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/4259268031_08a1b89104.jpg
It coincides with DarkDogs 7th picture.

[Wevsky]

nice tunnels was glad i got in to see them a while back

[pinktree]

wow...never new they were there..going to have venture that way soon !..nice pics