Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Two observation platforms were located at the Citadel Battery, one was located between gun emplacements 1 and 2 while the other was between 2 and 3. Each is, in effect a broad step, 14.7m and 15.9m long respectively and 1.5m wide, set 0.8m above the covered way and with a brick parapet wall to the front. (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information)

Monument Types

• OBSERVATION POST (Disused, Modern - 1901 AD? to 1956 AD?)

Full description

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Summarised from report:

Between emplacements I and II, and emplacements II and III, are two observation platforms built into the parapet. Each is, in effect a broad step, 14.7m and 15.9m long respectively and 1.5m wide, set 0.8m above the covered way and with a brick parapet wall to the front. The western example, reached via curving steps towards its eastern end, is clearly of two builds: the first wall is 0.8m high and the second a heightening to 1.22m. There were also two parapet-mounted machine guns here in the first decade of the 20th century. However, the present level state of the ground beyond the parapet would prevent effective close defence and this is probably an alteration relating to the heightened wall, when the platforms were perhaps purely for observation over the coastal approaches. The eastern observation platform has steps at each end: in detail it is similar to its western counterpart and also has evidence for a cupboard in its later phase. Behind the emplacements, the northern side of the covered way is defined by a 1.6m high scarp, with level ground beyond. (1)

<1> RCHME, 2000, The Western Heights, Dover, Kent. Report No 8: The Citadel Battery: An early 20th-century coastal battery (Unpublished document). SKE17504.

Sources and further reading