Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The suggested route of Dover’s Medieval town wall. Based on both archaeological and documentary evidence. It is probable that Dover was not walled until the 14th century as no repairs to the gates are recorded until the 15th century. The southern line appears to have run from a point east of Eastbrook gate "across the former Woolcomber Street" along Town Wall Street and Snargate Street, turning north to cross Adrian Street. There were three gates in the western wall which curved east over the Folkestone road to cross Cannon Street and then turned south through Pencester Gardens to return to the southern wall. Nothing remains above ground today. Part of the wall was uncovered along Townwall Street during works associated with the A20 road and sewer scheme in the early 1990’s. (location estimated from sources, accurate to the nearest 50m)

Monument Types

• TOWN WALL (First mentioned 1231, Undated)

Full description

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The earliest reference to a town wall at Dover dates from a charter dated AD 1231 although it seems that the protection was inadequate to defend the town from a French raiding party in AD 1295. Following the raid the town petitioned the crown in AD 1324 for murage, a tax levied for the construction of town walls. These levies continued throughout C.14-15 to strengthen and repair the wall. It is uncertain whether the wall ever completely encircled the town but it is clear from the sources that by C.16 the wall had started to fall into disrepair, John Leland writing c.AD1530 notes that the wall was 'partly fawlen downe and broken'. (1)

No standing remains exist and much of the evidence for the walls route comes from road names and historic cartographic sources. This evidence allows the wall circuit to be traced with some certainty along its south-eastern and south-western sides but its route to the north and north-east is unknown. Investigations to the seaward side of the wall have revealed the remains of a wall two to three metres thick at the base with a greensand-block face, rubble core and a roughly coursed greensand inner face. (2)

<1> Dover District Council, 2013, Dover District Heritage Strategy, 3.186/7 (Bibliographic reference). SKE31372.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2001, Dover Sewers/A20 Project 1991–3, Assessment Report and Updated Project Design (Unpublished document). SKE31815.

Sources and further reading

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