Dover Through Time

Dover developed at a gap in the white cliffs where the river Dour enters the Channel. Its prominence as a port can at least be traced back to the Bronze Age. The Romans certainly had a protected harbor here and following the Norman invasion a huge castle was erected to protect this gateway to Europe. In the middle ages it became a Cinque Port, with responsibilities for providing fighting ships to defend our shores. During the Spanish Armada, Dover joined the fight to protect our coastline. Indeed, Dover has always played a pivotal role in England’s history. It saw Henry V and his army depart to fight at Agincourt and Henry VIII with his entourage embark for the Field of Cloth meeting with the King of France. In the eighteenth century, its importance as a military town grew with the threat of a Napoleonic invasion. Above all though, it is loved for its iconic white cliffs and impregnable castle.