Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A coach factory, originally set up by Edward Hills, operated from 56 Castle Street throughout the 19th century and is visible on the first edition OS (1862-1875) map. (location accurate to the nearest 10m based on available information)

Monument Types

• FACTORY (Post Medieval to Modern - 1836 AD to 1906 AD)

Full description

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A coach factory operated from 56 Castle Street throughout the 19th century and is visible on the first edition OS (1862-1875) map as well as the Dover Tithe Map (1843). The business was set up by Edward Hills who came to Dover with his family about 1809 and they opened a coach-building firm originally in Market Street but moved to a permanent premises on Castle Street in 1836 (while the north eastern end of the Street was still being constructed). The business was a success and Edward was active in the town’s affairs joining the Liberal Party and being appointed to the Board of Guardians who were responsible for sick and poor of the town. Edward eventually retired and moved to Cambridge Villa, Whitfield where he died in 1885. By that time his two sons, Edward born 1841 and William born 1843 were running the business. Hills coaches were prized not only by the local affluent market but the reputation had spread beyond the national to the international colonial market. In the area behind the Castle Street factory, separated from the main building by a yard, were the timber sheds. The carriage and body makers were on the first floor of the building and once constructed the carriage was then transferred to the paint room and the varnishing loft that were on the second floor of the building. While this was going on, in the basement the timber wheels were made using elm for the centre, oak for the spokes and ash for the rim. On completion, they would be passed onto the forge and the iron tyres fitted. (1-4)

<1> Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 1st edition 1862-1875): Landmark Epoch 1 (Map). SKE30964.

<2> Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 2nd Edition, 1897-1900): Landmark Epoch 2 (Map). SKE30965.

<3> Lorraine Sencicle, 2014, The Dover Historian - Coachmakers and Hills of Castle Street (Website). SKE51690.

<4> 1843, Tithe Map Dover 1843 (OS Card Reference). SKE50577.

Sources and further reading

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