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Popular General Tips | Other General Tips Tips | All Tips (42) Say a little prayer for me? This is the beautiful St Mary's Church located inside Dover Castle. This ancient Parish church was founded in (and around) the year 1100. But it had to be rebuilt sometime in the mid-1800s because the foundations inside were unsafe due to the number of coffins buried under the floor! Hm...
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Visiting Dover?
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Beware, the toilets at Dover railway station do not stay open till all hours. You may need to find a station staff person to unlock them for you.
Incidentally the Gents has an eerie blue lighting scheme. Leave a Comment
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Dover
Dover is a nice mix of the old and the new. It has plenty of modern shops, restaurants and other attractions, intermingled with the olde-worlde charm of an ancient town. I suppose today most travellers to Dover are heading straight to the continental ferry port, which is some way from the town, but Dover is worthy of a much longer visit. The town is dominated by its castle, 375 feet above sea level, and from where, on a clear day, the French coast is easily visible. Within the precincts are the remains of a Roman lighthouse, 80 feet high and built of flintstone, remains of the Saxon stronghold and the massive Norman keep. During the English civil war (1642-46) the castle was seized by Parliamentarians and remained under Cromwell's control until the Restoration (of King Charles II) which ensured that it remained intact, unlike most other English castles. Within its White Cliffs are miles of underground passages and tunnels, the first of which were constructed in the Middle Ages to provide a protected line of communication for the soldiers manning the northern outworks. During the Napoleonic Wars the system of tunnels was expanded to fortify the castle in readiness for a French invasion. Seven tunnels were dug as barracks for soldiers, and were capable of holding 2,000 men. They are the only underground barracks ever built in Britain.
For more information on Dover and the surrounding towns, just click here:In and Around Dover
My fondest memory of Dover is probably arriving here from my base in Germany, and being once more able to drive on the 'correct' side of the road (lol)! When you arrive from the Continent by car you quickly realise just how congested England's roads are! Leave a Comment
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Dungeness
Dungeness is a promontory to the south of Dover. It is a bleak triangle of land created of shingle that has been thrown up by the sea over many years. The promontory is scattered with a number of chalet-type dwellings, some of which are used for permanent residences and others as holiday homes. It is a popular area for sea-anglers and walkers. The flat arable area of Romney Marsh lies to its north and the River Tillingham at Rye is to its south. When the nuclear power station was built at Dungeness Point it was necessary to construct a new lighthouse, which is the fifth to be constructed here. You can see the black and white lighthouse to the right of the picture. The area also has a large bird sanctuary. The photo here was taken from the top of the old lighthouse and shows the bleak windswept landscape.
Another photo taken from the old lighthouse. The one-third scale Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway (RHDR)is looking even more like a child's model trainset from this view! (For a clearer view, enlarge this photo from the Travelogue).
This shot, obviously taken from the balcony of the old lighthouse, shows clearly the black and white modern lighthouse, which is a concrete structure with no character at all!. The 'old' lighthouse is not really that old at all, having been built in 1901. There have been beacons or lighthouses in this area for centuries and the first permanent structure was built in the reign of King James I (1603-1625). This lighthouse is now privately owned and for a small fee you may climb the 160-odd steps to the top of the lighthouse for a panoramic view over the Romney Marsh and the English Channel. The nicest way to get to Dungeness is by the RHDR, but do ensure you leave enough time to catch the train back to Romney or Hythe. Leave a Comment
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Folkestone
Folkestone shared the privileges and duties of Dover until, in 1629, the local population obtained a licence to construct their own port. With the coming of the railway, Folkestone developed both as a cross-channel passenger port, and as a high-class seaside resort. Today Folkestone is at the English terminus of the Channel Tunnel to France. The construction of a tunnel here to France was first proposed in 1856. Due to the threat of French invasion three Martello towers were built east of the town in 1805. These towers are quite basic in their construction, and there are a number of them all along the coast here. Anyone who has entered Portsmouth by ship will have noticed similar towers there, but actually in the sea!
Folkestone is, I would say, the 'poor sister' to Dover. Having said that, it is a pretty town, especially around the harbour area. We used to go there most Saturdays and buy cream cakes and sof drinks, sit on the harbour wall at the quayside, and just look at all the activity. Very often we would watch as the cross-channel ferry departed for, or arrive from, Boulogne.
My young son, Jaymes, who was about 4 then, was once allowed to travel in the front of a diesel locomotive of the 'Orient Express' as it crossed the iron and brick bridge over the harbour, and then reversed on the other track to re-connect with its train. It was a very wet day, but he didn't care! The locomotive was named 'City of Truro', which is the name of an historic steam locomotive that is claimed to be the first in the world to achieve a speed in excess of 100 miles an hour. Folkestone has many of the 'usual' high street shops, but many other interesting shops. I remember the shop that made different coloured rock (candy), and you could stand outside and watch them roll the mixture out on large tables before cutting it to size. There are lots of antique and second-hand bookshops here too. Leave a Comment
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Rye
Rye is a picturesque town just outside of the county of Kent, in East Sussex.Originally a seaport, Rye became a full member of the Cinque Ports in about 1350. From the 15th century the port began its steady decline as silting of the river estuary proceeded. The sea is now 2 miles from the town. The town walls were constructed during the reign of Edward III ( 1327-77) but of the three original 14th century entrance gates, only the Land Gate remains, together with the earlier (12th century) Ypres Tower.
Rye is situated on a hill overlooking the River Rother. It is a pretty town, with cobbled streets and many timber-framed and Georgian houses. Of special interest to the traveller is the Mermaid Inn built in 1420. The photo here is one of a number of old windmills, some of which, like this one, have been carefully restored. I believe there are at least 4 windmills hereabouts. The black and white photo is of Rye about 60 years ago, but if you walked up this street today, nothing much will have altered - except perhaps the period pram! Leave a Comment
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Obviously anyone going to Canterbury has to visit the Cathedral, even though I think it's weird to have to pay to get into a church. But it's worth it, as it's al very impressive!
The picture is of the Great Cloister, part of the Cathedral Leave a Comment
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It is one of the district's largest and has a fine collection of genuine artifacts and models to see. Covering the history of Dover from the ancient Celts, through the Roman Invasion, up to and beyond World War II. There is a collection of scale models in painstaking detail showing the development of the town over the last 2000 years. You can also see the Bronze Age Boat gallery, featuring the world's oldest seagoing boat in remarkably good condition.
Market Square, Dover, Kent, CT16 1PB
01304 201066
http://www.dover.gov.uk/museum/home.htm Leave a Comment
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Dover is one of the most-visited towns in England largely due to millions of people who go there to cross the English Channel to France or Belgium which means all you really get to see is the Ferry terminal and of course the famous White Cliffs as you leave the shore behind. Leave a Comment
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There is a lot to see in Dover if you are not just passing through enroute to Europe like I was. In which case you see the road in, the port and the famous white cliffs as you sail across the channel (or the tunnel if you drive). But if you do have time, then there is Dover Caste, Abbey's and churches, the old Roman fort and great areas surrounding Dover. Leave a Comment
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Destinations near Dover- Folkestone, 9.86 km / 6.13 miles
- Denton, 10.01 km / 6.22 miles
- Hawkinge, 10.01 km / 6.22 miles
- Walmer, 10.17 km / 6.32 miles
- Deal, 11.59 km / 7.20 miles
- Sandgate, 13.13 km / 8.16 miles
- Seabrook, 13.95 km / 8.67 miles
- Sandwich, 15.22 km / 9.46 miles
- Hythe, 16.84 km / 10.47 miles
- Bekesbourne, 17.40 km / 10.82 miles
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