Hi all;
Had a family jaunt to Dover t'other day and decided to revisit Detached and North Centre Bastions (or'Smokey' as the locals refer to it !!) on the Western Heights.
Work began on North Centre Bastion in 1804 and although most of the earthworks were completed the following year it was to be the early 1860's before work on the structures were finally completed after much revision.The new fortifications comprised two distinct elements.The southern element was called North Centre-or Inner-Bastion and the northern element,Detached Bastion.Both protected by huge ditches with brick revetments behind which lie casemated gunrooms and musketry galleries.Above these ditches were massive earth ramparts housing infantry positions,artilliary emplacements and the entrances to the galleries and gunrooms.Both Bastions were only linked by the south caponier which spans the ditch between them.
At the North-west tip of Detached Bastion is the large caponier.By the turn of the 20th century both Detached and North Centre Bastions were virtually redundent and very little is known about their usage after this time except to say that on the ramparts of Detached bastion there are the earthwork remains of numerous slit trenches and weapons pits and in both Bastions there is evidence of the installation of electricity.It would appear that both had light or emergency usage during one or both World Wars.!!!
The Caponier of Detached Bastion was built with two levels having musketry and carronade embrasures.
The Missing sections of flooring are obvious and although access to the higher level is possible there are many large holes in the slate flooring which make it a bit treacherous.
Back to ground level now and the entrance to a magazine
Heading away from the Caponier now and looking along the steeply rising west musketry gallery showing the many firing positions along the approx 75 yd corridor.
Looking back down.
Along the length of this corridor are two drop pits with wooden raisable decks that allow access to the terreplein etiher by steps or ramp.A counter balance weight recess can be seen in the above photo for the first and below is the drawbridge entrance to the second.
Just ahead is the Caponier that links the two Bastions,at the end of which is the third and final catch pit.The wall at the rear is,apparantly,a more recent addition.
Looking back
Once over the catch pit we are now into North Centre Bastion and an extention to the West gallery runs for about another 50 yds,at the end of which is a set of stairs that once led to the terreplein but are now sealed.
Looking up the steps.
Retracing your steps back to the Caponier,just to the right of it is the North Musketry gallery another 80 yd + corridor with many firing positions.
This gallery has seen a partial collapse near it's end and in order to access the east musketry gallery this has to be negotiated.
Once past the collapse you enter the east gallery this is approx another 70 yds worth of firing slits and gunrooms.There is also another set of bricked up steps and two wells.
The wells are located in a short spur tunnel which is raised approx 3ft from ground level.This is the far end well.
The other well is located just inside the entrance to the spur tunnel seen here as the opening on the right.
Once past the wells the gallery turns to the left and reaches a dead end.
The east and north galleries are known as the Devil tunnels and contain much satanic graffiti and are quite a lonely and spooky place although whether or not satanic rituals were performed here we'll never know,i personally think its just kids with spray cans but what do i know ?!!!!
This has just been a brief insight into Smokey there is a lot more down here to see and although it has been chavved up its still well worth a visit.There are some excellent videos on you tube by John Latter-search for The Smokey-North Centre Bastion pts 1-3.
TOODLE-PIP !!!
Had a family jaunt to Dover t'other day and decided to revisit Detached and North Centre Bastions (or'Smokey' as the locals refer to it !!) on the Western Heights.
Work began on North Centre Bastion in 1804 and although most of the earthworks were completed the following year it was to be the early 1860's before work on the structures were finally completed after much revision.The new fortifications comprised two distinct elements.The southern element was called North Centre-or Inner-Bastion and the northern element,Detached Bastion.Both protected by huge ditches with brick revetments behind which lie casemated gunrooms and musketry galleries.Above these ditches were massive earth ramparts housing infantry positions,artilliary emplacements and the entrances to the galleries and gunrooms.Both Bastions were only linked by the south caponier which spans the ditch between them.
At the North-west tip of Detached Bastion is the large caponier.By the turn of the 20th century both Detached and North Centre Bastions were virtually redundent and very little is known about their usage after this time except to say that on the ramparts of Detached bastion there are the earthwork remains of numerous slit trenches and weapons pits and in both Bastions there is evidence of the installation of electricity.It would appear that both had light or emergency usage during one or both World Wars.!!!
The Caponier of Detached Bastion was built with two levels having musketry and carronade embrasures.
The Missing sections of flooring are obvious and although access to the higher level is possible there are many large holes in the slate flooring which make it a bit treacherous.
Back to ground level now and the entrance to a magazine
Heading away from the Caponier now and looking along the steeply rising west musketry gallery showing the many firing positions along the approx 75 yd corridor.
Looking back down.
Along the length of this corridor are two drop pits with wooden raisable decks that allow access to the terreplein etiher by steps or ramp.A counter balance weight recess can be seen in the above photo for the first and below is the drawbridge entrance to the second.
Just ahead is the Caponier that links the two Bastions,at the end of which is the third and final catch pit.The wall at the rear is,apparantly,a more recent addition.
Looking back
Once over the catch pit we are now into North Centre Bastion and an extention to the West gallery runs for about another 50 yds,at the end of which is a set of stairs that once led to the terreplein but are now sealed.
Looking up the steps.
Retracing your steps back to the Caponier,just to the right of it is the North Musketry gallery another 80 yd + corridor with many firing positions.
This gallery has seen a partial collapse near it's end and in order to access the east musketry gallery this has to be negotiated.
Once past the collapse you enter the east gallery this is approx another 70 yds worth of firing slits and gunrooms.There is also another set of bricked up steps and two wells.
The wells are located in a short spur tunnel which is raised approx 3ft from ground level.This is the far end well.
The other well is located just inside the entrance to the spur tunnel seen here as the opening on the right.
Once past the wells the gallery turns to the left and reaches a dead end.
The east and north galleries are known as the Devil tunnels and contain much satanic graffiti and are quite a lonely and spooky place although whether or not satanic rituals were performed here we'll never know,i personally think its just kids with spray cans but what do i know ?!!!!
This has just been a brief insight into Smokey there is a lot more down here to see and although it has been chavved up its still well worth a visit.There are some excellent videos on you tube by John Latter-search for The Smokey-North Centre Bastion pts 1-3.
TOODLE-PIP !!!
Last edited: