Welcome to our take on A Brief History of Dover, where we explore how Dover came to be. Known for its gorgeous white cliffs and majestic mediaeval castle, Dover is a perfect day trip from London. Thanks to its position as the closest point of England to the rest of Europe, it has been a site of huge importance throughout history. Read on to find out about how Dover has influenced British relations with the continent for the last over two and a half thousand years.
Formation of the cliffs (>10,000 years ago)
Over 70 million years ago, Britain was submerged under a great sea. The skeletons of coccoliths, tiny algae that lived in the sea, would sink to the bottom when they died and built up into sediment. Layers of this sediment formed incredibly slowly, only 0.5mm/year. Still, in some areas, the thickness reaches 500 metres! With time and pressure, this sediment ended up being compressed into white chalk. Millions of years later, due to changes in the earth’s crust, this chalk was raised above sea-level, connecting Britain to continental Europe. Then, during the last Ice Age, two mega-floods created the English Channel, and Britain was left an island. The cliffs we see now are thanks to constant erosion from the wind, rain and sea.
Iron Age Hillfort (~750 BC to 43 AD)
Massive earth ramparts and ditches are constructed on part of the clifftop that will later become the site for Dover Castle. These earthworks may have been serving as fortifications for a hillfort. Iron Age pits have even been identified during excavations, but not much more is known. Still, the shape of Dover Castle is unusual in terms of mediaeval design, suggesting it was built within the pre-existing structure of a hillfort.
Roman Lighthouse (43 AD to 5th century)
In fact, the first recorded description of Dover is from this era. In his writings, Julius Caesar describes enemy forces standing atop the cliffs when he arrived looking for a suitable landing place. Dover would later become one of the most important Roman ports on the south coast. It was used extensively for trade and the movement of the army. Then, to help guide ships into the harbour, two lighthouses were built on the cliffs. One remains standing to this day in Dover Castle and is in an excellent state of preservation.
Dover Castle (1066 to present day)
William the Conqueror first established a fortification here in 1066 after the Battle of Hastings. However, no remains survive to this day. The castle as we know it now was built in the 1180s by King Henry II. He wasted no expense, giving Dover Castle the most advanced design in Europe at the time. It combined strong defensive measures with a residence fit for a king. Much later, Dover became a heavily-defended garrison town during the Napoleonic Wars and a complex of tunnels were constructed beneath the castle.
WW2 (1939–1945)
With its proximity to mainland Europe, in WW2 Dover became an essential port for the war effort. The castle tunnels were expanded, one becoming an underground hospital and the other headquarters for Operation Dynamo, the rescue mission saving 338,000 soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk. This was when the White Cliffs first became a symbol of hope and home for the English. After all, the cliffs were the first sight of Britain the rescued soldiers saw after their escape from Dunkirk. This can be seen in the song “The White Cliffs of Dover” by Vera Lynn, released in 1941 and becoming incredibly popular across the nation.
National Trust
Nowadays, Dover is a beautiful port town on the south coast, attracting many visitors to the cliffs and castle every year. Lots of people also pass through there on their journey over the English Channel by ferry. In 1963, the castle was transferred to the Ministry of Works for preservation as an Ancient Monument and is now cared for by the charity English Heritage. Meanwhile, the White Cliffs are part of the National Trust, who focus on the conservation of historical and green spaces. Visitors can walk the winding paths of the cliffs, or explore the stone structures of the castle. On a clear day, you can even see the coastline of France in the distance over the sea!
Book your tour to Dover today!
Thank you for reading A Brief History of Dover, and we hope to welcome you to this beautiful coastline soon. Its breath-taking views and centuries of history are sure to charm all those who come to visit. If you would like to walk the cliffs or explore the castle for yourself, check out the amazing White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Tour from London that we offer. We look forward to seeing you on tour!
