Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A long flight of steps run from Castle Hill Road up to Cannons Gate on the south western side of Dover Castle. These are likely contemporary with creation of the new entrance to the castle at Canons Gate in the late 18th century though in their current form are likely to date from the second half of the 19th century.(location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• STEPS (Post Medieval to Modern - 1797 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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A long flight of steps run from Castle Hill Road up to Cannons Gate on the south western side of Dover Castle. These are likely contemporary with creation of the new entrance to the castle at Canons Gate in the late 18th century though in their current form are likely to date from the second half of the 19th century.

The long flight of steps are broken by one landing. The landing has evidence to suggest the use of an iron hanging cast iron lantern at one time, which stemmed from four brick pillars. The steps provide the most direct pedestrian route from the town to the castle and back and may have been intended as much for military as public use. Currently the steps are concrete, but this material may overlie the original stone treads. The brick revetment walls appear to have had at least one phase of rebuilding. 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 English Heritage, 2014, Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer (Unpublished document).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