Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A late 18th century well house is located within the middle bailey of Dover Castle, on the north western side of St. Marys Church. The castle garrison relied on wells for their water supply until the 19th century (when mains water became available). This was the largest of those and was sunk on the Palace green in the early 1790’s. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• WELL (Disused, Post Medieval to Modern - 1790 AD to 2050 AD)
• CHARCOAL STORE (Disused, Post Medieval to Unknown - 1850 AD)
• PUMP HOUSE (Disused, Post Medieval to Unknown - 1850 AD)
• STEAM PUMP (Disused, Post Medieval to Unknown - 1850 AD?)

Full description

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A late 18th century well house is located within the middle bailey of Dover Castle, on the north western side of St. Marys Church. The castle garrison relied on wells for their water supply until the 19th century (when mains water became available). This was the largest of those and was sunk on the Palace green in the early 1790’s.

This well was excavated by the royal engineers and became the castles principal water supply until water mains became available. The well was equipped with a steam pump in the 1850’s when extra barrack accommodation was being constructed in the castle. The well shaft itself has a concrete cover and the steam pump was housed at the top of the well shaft in a pair of sunken casemates. One of these was used as a coal store and boiler house while the other contained the engine and pump mechanism. The casemates are covered by an earth bank with a low retaining wall around the northern side. (summarised from sources) (1-2)

<1> English Heritage, 2014, Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer (Unpublished document). SKE52105.

<2> Johnathan Coad, 1995, English Heritage Book of Dover Castle and the Defences of Dover (Monograph). SKE52106.

Sources and further reading

Related records