Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

During an archaeological watching brief undertaken on service trenches by Canterbury Archaeological Trust at Archcliffe Fort, Western Heights, Dover in 2012 a wall foundation was uncovered. From its use of Dutch bricks probably dates to the seventeenth century and may have been part of the original entrance passage way or a former building at this location within the fort. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• Wall Foundation (Post Medieval to Unknown - 1641 AD?)

Full description

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During an archaeological watching brief undertaken on service trenches by Canterbury Archaeological Trust at Archcliffe Fort, Western Heights, Dover in 2012 a wall foundation was uncovered. From its use of Dutch bricks probably dates to the seventeenth century.The foundation was about 0.50m wide, constructed from three courses of seventeenth-century pink-buff and red Dutch bricks (172 x 80–85 x 42–44 mm), set in a hard light grey lime mortar with frequent small chalk/lime fragments. It survived to a height of 0.24m and was traced for a minimum distance of 1.25m. It appeared to rest on an undisturbed deposit of brown clay. It was located immediately to the south-east of the inner portal of the main entrance passage into the fort, and was aligned north-east by south-west and effectively constituted a continuation of the south-western side-wall of the entrance passage. The available evidence suggests that this foundation dates to the seventeenth century, if this is correct It could possibly be part of an early gatehouse structure. (1)

Eldred’s map of Dover dated 1641 shows the newly completed outline of the fort and indicates the presence of a cluster of buildings just inside the main gate, particularly on the western side. It could be that the wall fragment here recorded relates to one of the buildings depicted. (2)

Dutch bricks identical to those used in Wall 6 are to be seen in the front elevation of the extant fort gateway, these might represent the last remnants of a curtain wall, built of brick in 1639, which collapsed due to poor workmanship. This brick wall was soon replaced by the still extant ragstone wall. The surviving brickwork may well be a fragment of the seventeenth-century gateway into the fort. (3)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2012, Archaeological Watching-brief at Archcliffe Fort, Dover, June 2012 (Unpublished document). SKE17598.

<2> William Eldred, 1641, The Platt of Dover Castle Towne and Harbor (Map). SKE31804.

<3> Liv Gibbs, 2012, Built Heritage Conservation Framework for Dover Western Heights (Unpublished document). SKE17708.

Sources and further reading