Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The Regimental Institute, which is located towards the southern end of the Castle complex, close to Cannons Gate, was constructed in 1868 as a canteen and recreational area for the soldiers, today it is used as a restaurant for visitors to the castle. The rooms were originally laid out with a bar, tap room, recreation room, and kitchens on the ground floor, and library and reading room on the first floor. By the end of the 19th century the building had been expanded to its present size and included a library and billiards room. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• BAR (LICENSED) (Altered, Post Medieval to Modern - 1868 AD to 1960 AD)
• BILLIARD HALL (Altered, Post Medieval to Modern - 1868 AD to 1960 AD)
• LIBRARY (Altered, Post Medieval to Modern - 1868 AD to 1960 AD)
• READING ROOM (Altered, Post Medieval to Modern - 1868 AD to 1960 AD)
• RECREATIONAL HALL (Altered, Post Medieval to Modern - 1868 AD to 1960 AD)
• RESTAURANT (Modern use, Modern - 1960 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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The Regimental Institute, which is located towards the southern end of the Castle complex, close to Cannons Gate, was constructed in 1868 as a canteen and recreational area for the soldiers, today it is used as a restaurant for visitors to the castle. The rooms were originally laid out with a bar, tap room, recreation room, and kitchens on the ground floor, and library and reading room on the first floor. By the end of the 19th century the building had been expanded to its present size and included a library and billiards room.

The Regimental Institute was conceived in a Tudor Gothic Revival style and still retains many original details. The building is of a similar design to many other non-defensive buildings constructed during the later 19th century. Situated on sloping ground, the building is two stories in height and formed of two blocks - the southern block having a basement due to the positioning of the building on sloping ground. The western elevation is the principal façade of the building and there is coat of arms detailing set over the principal entrance within a central gable. Similar in design to Salvin’s Officers Mess building, the Regimental Institute is constructed of polygonal rubble stone with ashlar stone dressings and a slate roof. The doors and windows have decorative stone hood moulds and the rubble stone elevations are broken up with string courses. summarised form sources (1-2)

The building is a GII Listed building, the listing text notes: Regimental institute, now offices. Dated 1868, probably by G Arnold RE, Clerk of Works; altered c1994. Polygonal rubble, dressings, external and ridge stacks and slate roof. Tudor Gothic Revival style. Single-depth axial plan. EXTERIOR: single-storey; 4:3:3-window range. Central section set forward with roll-top copings to end gables with kneelers and dividing fire walls, first-floor drip, and flat-headed mullion windows with metal casements. Central section has right-hand 2-centre arched doorway with hood stops and boarded door, beneath a 2-centre arched cross window in a small gable, with 3 ground-floor and 2 first-floor windows and a small gable to the left. Right-hand section has central 3-light and flanking 2-light transom windows and a central small gable, and a right-hand return with a low basement doorway with small lights each side, 3-light mullion and transom windows, the first-floor one with cusped heads. Left-hand section has a right-hand 2-centre arched doorway and label mould beneath sunken quatrefoil panel, and 3-light transom windows; the left-hand return has a central external stack, inserted doorway to the front, and rear first-floor cross window. Rear has external stacks to left-hand section, and a short central wing with a cross gable. INTERIOR: has an open well stair from the entrance with metal balusters, and large first-floor room to the right-hand section with an arch-braced roof. HISTORY: in a similar style to the nearby Officers' barracks (qv) by Salvin. Institutes were introduced to provide improving pastimes in barracks and to reduce drinking. Used for education and training at the Castle garrison, and one of the oldest institutes in an English barracks.(3)

<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.

<3> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

Sources and further reading

Related records