Exploring Kent's Past

It should not be assumed that this site is publicly accessible and it may be on private property. Do not trespass.

Monument details

Summary

At the south western end of the Parade Ground of the Grand Shaft Barracks at Dover's Western Heights, in the angle formed by a revetment wall in this area, was the soldiers privy. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• PRIVY HOUSE (Demolished, Post Medieval to Modern - 1805 AD? to 1960 AD?)

Full description

If you do not understand anything on this page please contact us.

Summarised from report:

At the south-western end of the Parade Ground of the Grand Shaft Barracks at Dover's Western Heights, in the angle formed by a revetment wall in this area, was the soldier’s privy. Little remains visible of the free standing rectangular privy building as shown on a plan of 1867. it was surrounded by screen walls and a broken stub of one such wall can be seen protruding from the main revetment. There were also two groups of urinal stalls against the revetment on the north-west and south-west: three vertical strips of brick and slate mark the site of the former but both sets are obscured by later latrine facilities comprising rendering, ceramic urinals and twin metal brackets for flush cisterns. (1)

The earliest plan which shows the completed Napoleonic works which were undertaken at the Grand Shaft Barracks dates to 1810. (2) A later plan which dates to 1861, immediately prior to the 1860's scheme of works which were undertaken at the barracks site, gives further detail of the buildings constructed during the Napoleonic works, including lables of specific buildings. (3)

Many of the buildings of Grand Shaft Barracks are recorded in detail on a set of plans, mainly of the 1860s and 1870s, which were probably prepared to accompany the alterations and new building resulting from the recommendations of the Commission. The plan/elevation for the Soldiers privies shows the interior layout of the building and a number of external features. (4)

<1> RCHME, 2000, The Western Heights, Dover, Kent. Report No 4: The Grand Shaft Barracks, 19th and 20th-century infantry barracks (Unpublished document). SKE17499.

<2> Major W H Ford, Royal Engineers, 1811, Plan Shewing the Appropriation of the Ordnance Lands on the Western Heights Dover 1811 (Map). SKE51523.

<3> Unknown, 1861, Dover, General Plan of the Western Heights Barracks (Plan). SKE51541.

<4> Royal Engineers, 1867, Hand-tinted plans and sections of the latrines, urinals and ball court, a work shop, the barrack sergeants wash house and an armourers shop in Grand Shaft Barracks at Western Heights (Plan). SKE51450.

Sources and further reading

Related records