Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The location of a pier is noted on numerous post medieval maps and plans of Dover harbour, on Digges' plan, dating to 1595, it is labelled 'old Towne Piere' and is situated on the north eastern side of the sluice which divides the 'Paradise Pent' and the outer tidal harbour. This pier possibly represents the location of the original northern pier which was part of Thompsons works and which date to the earlier 16th century. (location accurate to the nearest 20m based on available information)

Monument Types

• PIER (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1535 AD? to 1641 AD?)

Full description

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The location of a pier is noted on numerous post medieval maps and plans of Dover harbour. One of the earliest plans which clearly depicts this pier is one of the three produced by Digges of the harbour, this one dates to 1581. This plan displays Dover harbour as it was before any works were completed on the great pent (now Wellington Dock) or the outer tidal harbour, these improvements constitute the third phase of major works on the harbour which were undertaken in the later Medieval period and early post medieval period; the first being Clerks pier and towers and the second being Thompsons Pier and associated structures. On this plan it is shown as a timber structure protruding out into the tidal harbour from the mouth of the 'Paradise Pent' on it north eastern side. (1)

It is also clearly depicted on two further plans produced by Digges, one in 1588 and the last in 1595. On both of these it is in the same location as before but is depicted as a more substantial structure, possibly constructed using stone as well as timber. On the earlier of the two it is labelled 'Ould Shipping Place' while on the later it is labelled 'old Towne Piere'. (2-3)

On William Eldred's plan of Dover Harbour dating to 1641, the pier is still present but looks to be shorter and does not curve around to the south. It is possible that it had fallen out of use by this period and may have started to decay, as William Van Mildert, writing in 1823, notes that 'Paradise Pent was for many years a waste useless and unhealthy swamp' he goes on to say that in 1788 the warden and assistants of the harbour arranged the necessary steps to prevent the entrance of the sea to this area and the ground was made 'good and firm for building'. (4-5)

Eldred’s map is the last to depict this pier, and on two which were produced approximately 100 years later by Fouquet, dating to 1737, and Hogben dating to 1769 there is no trace of it. (6-7)

This pier is the probable original location of the 'north pier' which was created at the mouht of the 'Paradise Pent' as part of Thompsons scheme in the earlier 16th century. Some near contemporary descriptions are available for the timber built piers of Thompsons works. These were described as two rows of clusters of close spaced piles set within a purpose laid bedding of rocks. The timber verticals were joined together with iron bolts and the interior of the pier in-filled with ballast. (8)

Further maps depictiong this location of this pier include that by John Symonds dating to 1583-1584 (9)

<1> Thomas Digges, 1581, The State of Dover Haven (Map). SKE31984.

<2> Thomas Digges, 1588, Plan of Work at Dover Harbour (Map). SKE31986.

<3> Thomas Digges, 1595, The state of Dover Haven with the New workes (Map). SKE31987.

<4> William Eldred, 1641, The Platt of Dover Castle Towne and Harbor (Map). SKE31804.

<5> William Van Mildert, 1828, A Short Historical sketch of the Town of Dover and its Neighbourhood. (Monograph). SKE32004.

<6> J. Foquet, 1737, Plan of the town, harbour and fortifications of Dover (Map). SKE31991.

<7> Thomas and Henry Hogben, 1769, The topography and Mensuration of Dover Pier, Harbour, Houses and Lands from DHB (Map). SKE31992.

<8> M. S. Johnson, 2015, Historic Timber-built Seacoast Piers of Eastern England: Technological, Environmental and Social Contexts (Unpublished document). SKE32003.

<9> John Symonds, 1583-1584, Dover Harbour (Map). SKE32347.

Sources and further reading