|
Grand Shaft
“Such a union of elegance and
convenience might have reflected credit even upon the genius of
Sir Christopher Wren.” W.H.Ireland, 1829.
Overview
The Grand Shaft was proposed in 1804 and built between 1806 and
1809 as a quick means of communication and movement between the
barracks on the Western Heights and the town of Dover below.
It was designed by Brigadier-General William Twiss, Commanding
Engineer of the Southern District. General Twiss was one of the
outstanding designers of military defences at the time, and was
also responsible for the Royal Military Canal running from Hythe
to Rye, and the Martello Towers along the south and east coasts
of England. His letter, in 1804, to Lt. General Morse suggested
‘a shaft with triple staircase the chief object of which is the
convenience and safety of the troops’. In addition, in the event
of an attack by the French, he considered that it would be ‘ the
shortest and securest communication with the town’ and that it
‘may eventually be useful in sending reinforcements to Troops
employed in the defence of the Beach and Town or in affording
them a secure retreat’. Without the Shaft, troops would have had
to use the badly-maintained roads and tracks leading down to
Dover that, being based on chalk, became very slippery and
dangerous in wet weather.
Cross-section of the Grand Shaft, from the original plans.
Courtesy of Dover Museum
Design
The main shaft comprises two concentric hollow brick cylinders,
140 feet (42m) high, the outer being 26 feet (8m) diameter.
Between them were built three intertwined staircases of Purbeck
limestone. The inner cylinder was provided with window apertures
for light and ventilation. Each staircase has two landings. At
the bottom, where the staircases meet, a sloping corridor leads
to Snargate Street. As can be seen in the photograph above, the
three staircases met in a bowl, from which stairs led up to the
parade ground in front of the Grand Shaft Barracks.
 Entrance
to Grand Shaft from Snargate St, 1909.
Construction
This began in 1806, and was bedevilled by bad weather. The rain
caused the chalk and clay to become unstable, and there were
many instances of the sides of the Shaft collapsing.
Fortunately, there were no fatalities during the three years of
construction. On its completion, the total cost amounted to
£3,221. 2s. 103/4d - £700 less than the original estimate!
Although the Grand Shaft is unique in being the only triple
spiral staircase in the country, there are still two double
spiral staircases in existence at the Citadel. These lead down
to the well room and the sally port at the level of the bottom
of the lines. As a security measure, both have been capped in
concrete.
In the 19th Century, Snargate Street maintained many taverns and
houses of ill-repute. To cope with the return of drunken
soldiers late at night, a guardroom and cells were built at the
end of the tunnel where they could sleep off their excesses!
The picture to the right shows the bottom of the Grand Shaft in
the early 20th Century, with the guardroom (with sentry box) in
the foreground. The building to the right of the archway is a
Methodist chapel, built early in the 19th Century. This was
demolished in the 1960s.
After completion, the Shaft became a local attraction and, in
1812, a Mr Leith of Walmer rode his horse up the Shaft for a
bet. Since he was the owner of the land sold to build the
barracks in Deal, he must have had a significant ‘pull’ with the
local military authorities!
As the threat of invasion subsided and the barracks became mere
holding accommodation for troops, the rigid social hierarchy of
the Victorian Army came to the fore. Legend has it that the
three staircases became segregated – one for ‘Officers and their
ladies’, one for ‘Sergeants and their wives’, and the third for
‘Soldiers and their women’.
After World War II, the whole site became less and less
important and the barracks fell into disrepair. They were
eventually demolished in the 1960s. The Shaft became derelict
and became the dumping ground for all sorts of rubbish,
including a car. Clearance and restoration were carried out by
Dover District Council and the Department of the Environment in
the 1970s, and again in the 1980s, and the Shaft was opened to
the public in 1986. In 1996, a copy of the original guardhouse
was built on the old foundations, and this is now the reception
centre and shop for visitors.
Gallery
Looking down into 'bowl' of the Grand Shaft
The Shaft is naturally lit via lightwell and windows
Looking back up
Reconstructed guardroom
|
