Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

A group of now demolished soldiers and officers accomodation blocks and associated buildings (including a gymnasium) were arranged around the parade ground at the Western Heights (location accurate to the nearest 1m based on available information).

Monument Types

• GYMNASIUM (SPORTS) (Post Medieval to Modern - 1868 AD? to 1983 AD?)

Full description

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Summarised from report:

The accomodation blocks were arranged around and overlooking the parade ground, as far as was possible, conforming to the accepted plan of the period. All of these were built as part of the original Napoleonic design and comprised large austere blocks of double-pile plan. Construction was of brick, laid to English-bond with flat arch window heads, deep sashes and half hipped slate roof concealing a central valley.

The gymnasium was built on a new terrace north-west of the field officers quarters between 1868-9. It was a brick built two storey hall of 10 by 4 fenestrated bays with a pitched slate roof. There were offices, with a gallery over, at the south western end. In common with other army gymnasia it had a centrally placed lantern and flanking lights to illuminate the gymnasium floor and substantial queen-post trusses to support the apparatus.

The site of the gymnasium occupies two thirds of a large platform, now littered with brick rubble that is, in places, several feet deep. This exceptional depth reflects the fact that the building was simply demolished and the rubble left on site. Fragments of the wall protrude at the eastern corner and along the north-eastern side, in yellow stock brick laid to English bond. Most of the south-eastern wall is concealed by a brick strewn scarp, 1m high. An enormous scarp defines the north-western edge of the terrace and let into the north eastern end is a small two celled privy with a flat slate and concrete roof. Inside are the remains of a WC and a double ceramic urinal.

The southern third of the terrace was an open area in front of the gym, probably for outdoor excersise. A free standing wall, 0.36m wide, at the north-eastern end of the terrace stands to its full height of 2.75m, with butresses on the north-eastern face. It was probably for raquet ball games. (1)

During an archaeological watching brief which was undertaken by Canterbury Archaeological Trust at the site of the Grand Shaft Barracks in 2017, a number of features associated with the gymnasium were uncovered. These included internal and external walls and foundations, an area of demolition rubble, a pathway, and a gutter. (2)

A plan dating to 1896 shows the additional buildings and improvements which were constructed under the 1860's scheme of works at the Grand Shaft Barracks site, including the Gymnasium. (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 Gymnasium 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> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 2018, Grand Shaft Barracks, Western Heights, Dover, Evaluation Report (Unpublished document). SKE51431.

<3> Royal Engineers, 1896, Grand Shaft Barracks Dover (Plan). SKE51570.

<4> Royal Engineers, 1871, Hand-tinted plans, sections and block plan of the gymnasium for Western Heights (Plan). SKE51571.

Sources and further reading

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