Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Mapping dating to the early post medieval period depicts a sluice gate/bridge between 'Paradise Pent' and the main Harbour (location accurate to the nearest 50m based on available information).

Monument Types

• BRIDGE (Post Medieval - 1595 AD? to 1788 AD?)

Full description

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Mapping dating to the early post medieval period depicts a bridge between 'Paradise Pent' and the main Harbour at Dover. William Eldred's map of this area, dating to 1641 (sheet 7/8) shows the bridge on the north eastern side of the pent linking 'Stande Strete', on the western side, to 'Rounde Tower Strete' and 'Councell Hous Strete' on the eastern side of the pent. (1)

Another early, detailed cartographic source which depicts this part of Dover is that produced by Thomas Digges in 1595. This displays a sluice gate alongside a bridge between Paradise Pent and the main harbour. Usefully Digges has labelled the important features within the harbour, including the sluice gate/bridge between the pent and the harbour. He notes that the gate is 'decayed' suggesting that it had been created and was in use for some time before this survey of the harbour was completed. (2)

William Mildert, who writes in 1828, notes that 'Paradise Pent was for many years a waste, useless and unhealthy swamp' and that by 1788 steps were being taken to in-fill it. (3) It is very likely that this bridge and sluice gate were destroyed during this infilling though the gate may have already disappeared before this in-filling occurred, as it is not obviously depicted on Eldred’s map.

Further historic maps showing the location of the Bridge/Sluice include that by Thomas Miles dating to 1580 (4), John Symonds dating to 1583-84 (5) another by Thomas Digges dating to 1588 (6)

<1> William Eldred, 1641, The Platt of Dover Castle Towne and Harbor (Map). SKE31804.

<2> Thomas Digges, 1595, The state of Dover Haven with the New workes (Map). SKE31987.

<3> William Van Mildert, 1828, A Short Historical sketch of the Town of Dover and its Neighbourhood. (Monograph). SKE32004.

<4> Thomas Miles, 1580, Proposal for Dover Harbour (Map). SKE31983.

<5> John Symonds, 1583-1584, Dover Harbour (Map). SKE32347.

<6> Thomas Digges, 1588, Plan of Work at Dover Harbour (Map). SKE31986.

Sources and further reading