Report - DUMPY, Dover, Kent. 02.02.07

[Ali23]

WOW!!! At long last we have done it! Nik24 and I met up with (the terrible two again ) Monk and Jackal. This place must be the best place to see that is underground in kent, it was amazing!!! The pictures don't do it justice, some of them maybe a bit fuzzy as it was an in out job and we didn't want to hang around. But with that said we were there for about 30mins!! This place is huge, most lights were on and all the vents are still working. Dumpy is in mint condition. Nik took the photos and I was on look out!

Well I hope you enjoy the pics....

Nice work guys!!! Can't wait to see your photos up!

 

[Ali23]

Dumpy is an underground complex of tunnels deep down in the cliffs below dover castle it was built in ww2 as an extension to the three levels of casemated tunnels above (most of which where built in napleonic times i think). They were used in ww2 as a very important command centre where some of the most famous military operations were lead. During the cold war dumpy (because of it being so deep in the cliffside) was turned into a fully operational nuclear bunker and in the event of a nuclear attack there was a small BBC recording studio from which the warning broadcast for the country would have come from, I also believe it would have been used as a temporary seat of government.

 

[jackal]

Proper explore indeed!
As Ali said, this place is mint. and huge! so much bigger than i thought it was going to be.
We've been wanting to do dumpy for ages now and i'm well chuffed we got to do it
nice one guys, your pics look great. Heres a few of mine.

The terrible two....outrageous

 

[STeALtH]

Excellent stuff, I visited here not long after they were opened up on one of the official tours, apparently there were 4 levels, Annexe, Bastion, Casemate and Dumpy. We were shown round one level (I think it was Casemate?: ) but not the others and apparently Bastion collapsed or is no longer accesable. That was the offical line anyway

According to English Heritage there were 4 levels:

A = Annexe (Accessible to the public via a tour)
B = Bastion (Closed after a collapse which killed some people, now lost)
C = Casemate (Accessible to the public via a tour)
D = DUMPY or Deep Underground Military Position Yellow (No planned access)

According to alot of other sources there were 5 levels:

E = Esplanade (Some sources say it was never built, but it was and was used as an air-raid shelter, not accessible and no planned access at this time, EH know it is there and have securely locked it up. It comprises Athol Terrace, Guildford Tunnel & Trevanion Caves. Been down it twice )

According to a few further sources there was a 6th level:

F = Foundation (Apparently never even started but then who knows, so much mis-information, and still lots of secrets to be uncovered I think in and around Dover Castle)

If you dig around for information on these tunnels you'll get loads of conflicting information, EH don't exactly tell the whole truth and nothing but, take DUMPY for instance on a recent tour of the tunnels, we actually asked about access and were told by the guide that it cannot be opened to the public because of problems getting people out in case of a fire, hmmmm, well if it was going to be used as a cold war command post I'm sure there'd be more than one way out, and according to official plans I have there looks to be several. Oh then there's the 4 types of deadly fungus spores found down there, lets not forget the asbestos risk, flaking lead paint, the list is endless depending on what articles you read.

I've been down, Annexe, Casemate, and Esplanade, DUMPY is high on my list but the one that really fascinates me is Bastion. According to the same tour guide, who was very surprised we even knew it existed, EH cannot find it apparently they have a fair idea where it is but when a team was brought in to uncover it they found unexploded bombs/shells and abandoned digging. According to others it was never even started, it collapsed, it killed the workers used to dig it, it still carries possible traces of 'the Black Death', the list is endless.

What I have found from lots & lots of digging through various articles and having seen a map showing 5 levels with Bastion and Esplanade clearly marked is that Bastion was on the same level as Casemate but further inland, to the back of Annexe. Guess I'll just keep digging but it's fascinating stuff even if you do end up going round in circles half the time

S

 

[Alex M]

STeALtH, I was just researching the existence of said tunnels, both of those stories sound plausible, I know this is an old thread but have you managed to uncover any more info, as I am very curious to find out more? Cheers

 

[mel01491]

Hi new to this stuff love exploring though any ideas or tips to see the other tunnels other than the official Dover castle tours sounds amazing.

Any help appreciated, newbie

 

[EmilyW]

it's one of the top places to visit in Dover
can't wait for my trip there.....want to explore everything))

 

[monk]

Good luck exploring Dumpy

 

[Wevsky]

Good luck exploring Dumpy

Ah the trip in question would be a permission style visit run by EH or if you know the correct people no doubt

 

[monk]

Are they still skinning people £40 a go

 

[Wevsky]

Are they still skinning people £40 a go

Not sure if there is anything official form a quick google,but if you know people little visits can be arranged no doubt

 

[woody1112]

i saw photos from a tour there month or so ago, if you know the right people im guessing you can pay to view

 

[Oxon7542]

"According to English Heritage there were 4 levels:

B = Bastion (Closed after a collapse which killed some people, now lost)

F = Foundation (Apparently never even started but then who knows, so much mis-information, and still lots of secrets to be uncovered I think in and around Dover Castle)

If you dig around for information on these tunnels you'll get loads of conflicting information, EH don't exactly tell the whole truth and nothing but, take DUMPY for instance on a recent tour of the tunnels, we actually asked about access and were told by the guide that it cannot be opened to the public because of problems getting people out in case of a fire, hmmmm, well if it was going to be used as a cold war command post I'm sure there'd be more than one way out, and according to official plans I have there looks to be several. Oh then there's the 4 types of deadly fungus spores found down there, lets not forget the asbestos risk, flaking lead paint, the list is endless depending on what articles you read.

I've been down, Annexe, Casemate, and Esplanade, DUMPY is high on my list but the one that really fascinates me is Bastion. According to the same tour guide, who was very surprised we even knew it existed, EH cannot find it apparently they have a fair idea where it is but when a team was brought in to uncover it they found unexploded bombs/shells and abandoned digging. According to others it was never even started, it collapsed, it killed the workers used to dig it, it still carries possible traces of 'the Black Death', the list is endless."



This is really interesting- would you mind telling me where you got the idea that people were killed in a collapse in Bastion?

I have been told that there is subsidence damage to the officer's mess and as that is the most likely site of Bastion I would be intrigued to know if there is a link.
I also think I may have found some new evidence in the form of a 1946 Ministry of Public Works plan that shows a track into the East moat (service tunnel) and what are supposedly magazine entrances that don't exist anymore...