# Fort Drop Redoubt, Dover



## froggie25 (Mar 13, 2014)

The Drop Redoubt is one of the two forts on Western Heights within Dover. Both forts are linked to the other, the Citadel by a series of dry moats (the lines). It is, arguably, the most impressive and immediately noticeable feature on Dover’s Western Heights. 
The artillery at the Redoubt faced mostly inland; it was intended to attack an invading force attempting to capture Dover from the rear.
The construction begun in two periods: the first being from 1804-1808 during the Napoleonic Wars and the second from 1859-1864 following the recommendations of the 1859 Royal Commission.
First Period - The original form of the Drop Redoubt was a simple pentagon, formed by cutting trenches into the hillside and revetting (facing) them with brickwork. Thus, the Redoubt was a solid ‘island’ with barracks, magazine, and artillery, on top. Originally, it would have accommodated 200 troops but, by 1893, the numbers had been reduced to just 90. A striking feature of the first period is the Soldiers’ Quarters – five bomb-proof casemates. These are parabolic in cross section and covered in a thick layer of earth to withstand the effect of mortar-bombs. The windows at the rear of each open into a trench, to protect them against blast.
Second Period - The rise of Napoleon III during the 1850s caused a further invasion scare, and a Royal Commission was set up in 1859 to investigate the defences of Britain. As a result, more work was deemed necessary at the Heights, and the Drop Redoubt had its defences improved. Caponiers were added to four of the corners of the existing fort (each with a stone staircase leading up to the top of the Redoubt), and gunrooms were built alongside two of them to allow fire along the North and South-East Lines. The original magazine was enlarged, and covered with a large earth bank as protection from mortar-fire.
The Officers’ Quarters, Guardroom, and cells also date from this period. They can be distinguished from the earlier work by the semi-circular shape of their arches. During World War II, the Redoubt housed a squad of commandos that, in the event of invasion, would have been responsible for destroying Dover Harbour. Their presence was secret and the lines around the Redoubt were mined. Evidence of their stay are the sally ports in Caponiers 1 & 2, and the short tunnel leading from the encircling line to Drop Redoubt Road.
The entrance to Drop Redoubt was via a bridge. The inner third of this was pivoted so that the Redoubt could be isolated. The pivot and the recess into which the bridge swung can still be seen, although the bridge has long since gone. In the 1980s, a temporary scaffolding bridge was built by the army to enable access for guided tours of the Redoubt, but this was removed in the middle 1990s to prevent unauthorised entry and vandalism.

I'm happy to say i belong to the Western Heights Preservation Society and to answer any question. Please see the attached website to look up dates and events as the fort only open upto 4 times a year.

http://www.doverwesternheights.org/

Enjoy 



Fort Drop Redoubt 001 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 003 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 004 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 028 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 031 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 032 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 030 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 120 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 118 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 038 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 040 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 41 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 049 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 050 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 046 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 055 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 065 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 069 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 080 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 087 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 097 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 036 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 044 by froggie_abc, on Flickr



Fort Drop Redoubt 098 by froggie_abc, on Flickr


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## ashutchy (Mar 13, 2014)

What a fabulous looking place and a great history lesson too. Many thanks.


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## SlimJim (Mar 13, 2014)

Nice to see the chunk of history up there  I wondered what happened to the bridge! What is that down near the bottom - a railway lamp?


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## TeeJF (Mar 13, 2014)

I'm very fond of forts like these, nice one dude! Thanks for posting.

If they rock your boat too (Preservation Societies et all  ) then you may find these interesting -

http://www.jarrelook.co.uk/Urbex/Verdun/Verdun.htm

I did a whole series of reports in here but these are more complete. Last year we ran a forum trip across in May and did four of them together with a Maginot Line ouvrage.


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## night crawler (Mar 13, 2014)

Great photos just a pity you did not have a tripod for the internals. What a place to Visit though


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## Dirus_Strictus (Mar 13, 2014)

SlimJim said:


> Nice to see the chunk of history up there :What is that down near the bottom - a railway lamp?



It's a rather old Dover Town Corporation road works lamp - hence the D T C stencilled on it.


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## SlimJim (Mar 13, 2014)

Dirus_Strictus said:


> It's a rather old Dover Town Corporation road works lamp - hence the D T C stencilled on it.



Awesome  Thanks for the info! Love things like that.


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## Munchh (Mar 13, 2014)

Great place, love it


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## froggie25 (Mar 13, 2014)

Thanks Ashutchy, i'm glad you enjoyed.


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## froggie25 (Mar 13, 2014)

Thanks again SlimJim for your kind words, i get a warm glow lol


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## froggie25 (Mar 13, 2014)

Hi TeeJF. Thabks for a lovely reply.... I love alsorts and the Drop will always have a place in my heart. Love going around and day dreaming of what it would have been like etc... We've so got to share a chat or two soon


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## froggie25 (Mar 13, 2014)

Thanks for the message Night Crawler, but why did i need a tripod? I now own one, that my grand dad gave me lol


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## froggie25 (Mar 13, 2014)

Thanks Dirus_Strictus, i just looked the look of it and was annoyed it wasn't as old as i thought lol..... "DTC - Dover Town Council" Still a nice pic x


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## froggie25 (Mar 13, 2014)

Thanks Munchh, i am a member of the society so will post open days and events if anyone interested......


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## DirtyJigsaw (Mar 14, 2014)

This and the Grand Shaft need a visit. Thanks for the pictures and the history


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## froggie25 (Mar 14, 2014)

I can let you know dates DirtyJigsaw and i'm at the fort this Sunday for a work day, but the fort isn't open to expore until July. You can walk around the grounds that at anytime,


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