Dover, Strait of, separating Great Britain from France and connecting the English Channel with the North Sea. It is 21 mi (34 km) wide between Dover and Cape Gris-Nez, near Calais, and is called Pas-de-Calais by the French. It is traversed regularly by ferry, hovercraft, and, with the completion of the Channel Tunnel, by rail. The Romans called it Fretum Gallicum. The Strait of Dover has been the scene of naval battles: in the 13th cent. Hubert de Burgh defeated the invading French, and in 1588 the Spanish Armada was checked there by the English.

Dover, town (1991 pop. 33,461), Kent, SE England, on the Strait of Dover, beneath chalk cliffs (the "White Cliffs of Dover") c.375 ft (114 m) high. The small Dour River flows through the town. Dover is a resort and an important port for travel and shipping to the Continent; it was chief among the members of the Cinque Ports. It is also a principal ferry port to Calais. Some light industry has developed in Dover. The Romans fortified the place and called it Dubris. In Anglo-Saxon times a fort was built there. In 1216, Dover was defended by Hubert de Burgh against a French attack. In the English civil war it was taken (1642) by the parliamentarians. It was the landing place of Charles II in 1660. Only 21 mi (34 km) from France, Dover was the center of English Channel defense and an important naval base in World War I. It was a constant target of German long-range guns for four years in World War II. In the cliffs a series of subterranean caves and tunnels once used by smugglers were put to use as shelters from 1940 to 1944. Improvement of the extensive harbor occurred in the late 19th and early 20th cent. Noteworthy are Shakespeare Cliff (the first coal in Kent was discovered there in 1822); the 13th-century Maison Dieu Hall, hostel of Hubert de Burgh; Dover Castle on the cliffs, of Roman or Saxon origin; the lighthouse in the castle, partly Roman; the Church of St. Mary, also in the castle, of Saxon origin with Roman brick; the barracks; and St. Martin's priory (1332), part of Dover College, a boys' school.

Dover. 1 City (1990 pop. 27,630), state capital, and seat of Kent co., central Del., on the St. Jones River; founded 1683 on orders of William Penn, laid out 1717, inc. as a city 1929. In a fertile farming and fruit-growing region, it is a shipping and canning center with varied light industries. Dover Air Force Base, a principal military air cargo terminal, is a major factor in the city's economy, as is Dover Downs, with auto and horse racing and a casino.

The old statehouse on the green, built in part in 1722 as the county courthouse, has been the capitol since 1777. Numerous historic houses and sites remain. The state museum is in the Old Presbyterian Church (1790). Delaware State Univ. and Wesley College are the city's noted higher education institutions.

2 City (1990 pop. 25,042), seat of Strafford co., SE N.H., on the Bellamy, Salmon Falls, and Cocheco rivers near their confluence with the Piscataqua; settled 1623, inc. as a city 1855. The 30-ft (9-m) falls of the Cocheco there have empowered industry since the late 1700s. Among the many manufactures are electrical and business equipment, plastic, and shoes.

The first permanent settlement in New Hampshire, Dover was organized in 1633 but grew slowly. Lord Saye and Sele and his group had large holdings there from 1633 to 1641. A massacre by Native Americans occurred in 1689. In 1812 the first cotton factory was established and the town thrived as a textile center. Dover's historic attractions include the garrison house (late 1600s); the Hale house (1806), where Lafayette and James Monroe stayed; and a library that was organized in 1792.

3 Industrial town (1990 pop. 15,115), Morris co., N central N.J., on the Rockaway River; settled 1722, inc. as a town 1869. In an iron ore area, the town grew as an iron-manufacturing center on the old Morris Canal. It still has iron- and steelworks as well as a variety of manufactures. The U.S. army Picatinny Arsenal is nearby.

French Pas de Calais ancient Fretum Gallicum.

Channel separating southeastern England from northwestern France. Connecting the English Channel with the North Sea, it is about 20 mi (32 km) wide at its narrowest point. Lined on the British side with the famous White Cliffs, which are composed of soft chalk, it is one of the world's busiest seaways; its chief ports include Dover and Folkestone in England and Calais and Boulogne in France. It was the scene of several historic naval battles, including the repulse by the English of the Spanish Armada in 1588. Allied troops in the Dunkirk Evacuation crossed to Dover in 1940.

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French Pas de Calais ancient Fretum Gallicum.

Channel separating southeastern England from northwestern France. Connecting the English Channel with the North Sea, it is about 20 mi (32 km) wide at its narrowest point. Lined on the British side with the famous White Cliffs, which are composed of soft chalk, it is one of the world's busiest seaways; its chief ports include Dover and Folkestone in England and Calais and Boulogne in France. It was the scene of several historic naval battles, including the repulse by the English of the Spanish Armada in 1588. Allied troops in the Dunkirk Evacuation crossed to Dover in 1940.

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ancient Dubris Portus

Town (pop., 2001: 34,087) and seaport on the Strait of Dover, Dover district, administrative and historic county of Kent, southeastern England. A pre-Roman settlement existed on the site, and in the 4th century AD it was guarded by a Saxon fort. During the 11th century it was chief of the Cinque Ports. Dover Castle, a stronghold of medieval England, was besieged by rebellious barons in 1216. The town was held by Parliamentarians in the English Civil Wars. It was a naval base in World War I and was bombed by Germans in World War II. Landmarks include the castle, a Roman lighthouse, and an ancient fortress church. Dover is famous for the white chalk cliffs rising above it and is a leading passenger port.

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