We
st
er
n
he
ig
ht
s.
I
’m
s
ur
e
99
I’m sure 99% of people who have ever been to Dover has done this location. So a brief history of the western heights... and a pics at the end are of the location and layout of this location.
The remains of the south entrance of western heights. Nice easy entrance into it, same as it was 10 years or so ago when I last went, interior much the same, apart from a knock through which leads to the rabbit hole entrance.
“The fortification of the hills known as the Western Heights in Dover began in the 18th Century. Beginning with simple earthworks, they were upgraded during the Napoleonic Wars. Two main detached forts were built, the Drop Redoubt to the East and Citadel to the West (both surrounded by dry ditches, with another linking the two). At the turn of the 19th Century, the Grand Shaft (a triple helix staircase Sally port) along with the North Centre Bastion (a prominent earthwork projecting into the ditch between the Redoubt and Citadel) were built. The fortifications were left largely unfinished after a truce was established with France and were abandoned for some years. During the 1850s, a new threat occurred with Napoleon III, and after a Royal Commission of the country's defences in 1859, the Heights were redesigned as a state-of-the-art complex of gun batteries and barracks, surrounded by over four miles of dry ditches, the largest in the country. As Napoleon never invaded, and the fortress was never attacked, the great expenditure was seen by many as a folly, but its success as a deterant can also be argued. The Heights remained under military occupation until after WW2, with St. Martin's Battery continuing to form part of coastal defence. Some of the barracks continued to be used, many of the old casemates however, had been condemned by this time and were falling into disrepair“
Anyway a quick redo while waiting for some mates to turn up today to do some scouting.
Looked at with @Stimpakman
Last edited: