Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The former site of a hutted camp/barracks is located at Broadlees Bottom, on the north western side of the castle complex. This site was used for military encampment with tents and huts before and after both world wars. Many of the barracks and associated ancillary buildings survived here until the 1950’s. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• ARMY CAMP (Modern - 1914 AD to 1950 AD)
• BARRACKS (Modern - 1914 AD to 1950 AD)
• FUEL TANK (Modern - 1941 AD to 1950 AD)

Full description

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The former site of a hutted camp/barracks is located at Broadlees Bottom, on the north western side of the castle complex. This site was used for military encampment with tents and huts before and after both world wars. Many of the barracks and associated ancillary buildings survived here until the 1950’s.

Pre-First World War photographs show tents in Northfall Meadow, indicating that it was used by the military at least for exercises. By 1920 a hutted camp had been constructed, stretching along a road running north-south along the whole length of the castle earthworks. This presumably was constructed for wartime use as it had been removed by 1926. Further barracks were constructed in 1941 to the east and south east of horseshoe bastion. The Barracks continued in use after the end of World War II and were used by, among others, the Border Regiment, the Royal artillery, the Royal Inniskillling Fusiliers, the York and Lancaster Fusiliers and the Cameron Highlanders. In 1951 the barracks closed and the buildings were soon removed. Part of the barracks area was removed by the construction of Jubilee Way. Summarised from sources (1-2). The southern barracks, presumably those constructed in the 1940’s are clearly visible on the 1957 Ordnance survey of the town. (3)

a walkover survey undertaken by Canterbury Archaeological Trust across the site in 2013 identified a number of remains relation the former military use of this site. (4)

<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 English Heritage, 2014, Dover Castle Conservation Management Plan Volume 2 Gazetteer (Unpublished document).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> Ordnance Survey, 1957, Ordnance Survey national grid map (1940s-1960s) TR34SW & part of TR33NW - A (Map). SKE52143.

<4> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2013, Broadlees Bottom, near Dover Castle, Walkover survey report (Unpublished document). SKE31739.

Sources and further reading

Related records