Dover

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.

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.

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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Dover is a town and major ferry port in the county of Kent, England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel. The town is the administrative centre of the Dover District. Its strategic position has always been evident throughout its history: archaeological finds have revealed that the area has always been a focus for peoples entering and leaving Britain, and this continues to this day.

The port provides a great deal of the town’s employment, although many of the erstwhile ferry services have declined, so that unemployment tends to be higher than other parts of Kent. There was a military barracks in Dover, which was closed in 2007. Dover has a strong tourist base.

Toponymy

Dover’s name originated with its river - the River Dour, deriving from the Brythonic Dubrās ("the waters"), via its Latinized form of Dubris. The Romans called it ’’Porte Dubris’’; the modern name was in use at least by the time Shakespeare wrote 'King Lear' (between 1603 and 1606), in which the town and its cliffs play a prominent role.

The town gives its name both to the surrounding chalk cliffs, which a form a gateway to the port; and to the narrow sea passage - the Straits of Dover - on which it stands. The cliffs also gave Britain its ancient name of Albion ("white").

One measure of the importance of Dover's links with France is that only a few English towns/cities have names in French different from their English names: these are Dover (Douvres), London (Londres) and Canterbury (Cantorbéry).

Geography

Dover is at the extreme south-east corner of Britain, at the nearest point to the continent, 22 miles (35.2km) away across the Straits of Dover.

The site of its original settlement lies in the valley of the River Dour, making it an ideal place for a port, sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly winds. This led to the silting up of the river mouth by the action of longshore drift; the town was then forced into making artificial breakwaters to keep the port in being. These breakwaters have been extended and adapted so that the port lies almost entirely on reclaimed land.

The higher land on either side of the valley - the Western Heights and the eastern high point on which Dover Castle stands - have been adapted to perform the function of protection against invaders. The town has gradually extended up the river valley, encompassing several villages in doing so. Little growth is possible along the coast, since the cliffs are on the sea’s edge. The railway, being tunnelled and embanked, skirts the foot of the cliffs.

History

Dover’s history, because of its proximity to France, has always been of great strategic importance to Britain. Archaeological finds have shown that there were Stone Age people in the area; and that by the Bronze Age the maritime influence was already strong. Some Iron Age finds exist also, but the coming of the Romans made Dover part of their communications network. Like Lemanis (Lympne) and Rutupiae (Richborough) Dover was connected by road to Canterbury and Watling Street; and it became Portus Dubris, a fortified port. Forts were built above the port; lighthouses were constructed to guide ships; and one of the best-preserved Roman villas in Britain is here.

Dover figured largely in the Domesday Book as an important borough. It also served as a bastion against various attackers: notably the French during the Napoleonic Wars; and against Germany during World War II.

Demography

In 1800 Edward Hasted (1732-1812) reported that the town had a population of almost 10,000 people

At the 2001 census, the town of Dover had 28,156 inhabitants, while the population of the whole urban area of Dover, as calculated by the Office for National Statistics, was 39,078 inhabitants.

With the expansion of Dover, many of the outlying ancient villages have been incorporated into the town. Originally the parishes of Dover St. Mary's and Dover St. James, since 1836 Buckland and Charlton have become part Dover, and Maxton (a hamlet to the west), River, Kearsney, Temple Ewell, and Whitfield, all to the north of the town centre, are within its conurbation.

Governance

Dover is represented in Parliament by the Labour MP Gwyn Prosser.

Dover Town Council is headed by its mayor, whose yearly term of office runs from May. The current mayor (2008-9) is Diane Smallwood; her predecessors are listed The councillors represent the six town wards: Buckland; Castle; Maxton and Elms and Priory; St Radigunds; Tower Hamlets; and Town and Pier.

Shipping

The Dover Harbour Board is the responsible authority for the running of the Port of Dover.

The English Channel, here at its narrowest point in the Straits of Dover, is the busiest shipping lane in the world. Ferries crossing between here and the Continent have to negotiate their way through the constant stream of shipping crossing their path. The Dover Strait Traffic Separation Scheme allots ships separate lanes when passing through the Strait. The Scheme is controlled by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency of HM Customs, whose headquarters is at Langdon Battery in Dover

The Port of Dover is also used by cruise ship passengers, and the old Dover Marine railway station building, together with a newly built one, cater for those passengers

The ferry lines using the port are (number of daily sailings in parentheses):

• to Boulogne: Speed Ferries (5);
• to Calais: P&O Ferries (25) and Sea France (20);
• to Dunquerque: Norfolk Line (11).

These services have been fairly drastically cut in recent years.

• P&O Ferries sailings to Boulogne (5 daily) were withdrawn in 1993 and Zeebrugge (4 daily) in 2002.
• SNCF withdrew their three sailings on the opening of the Channel Tunnel.
• RMT moved their Oostende service of three sailings daily to Ramsgate in 1994;
• Stena Line merged their 20 Calais sailings into the current P&O operation in 1998.

The Dover lifeboat is a Severn class lifeboat based in the Western Docks.

Communications

Dover’s main communications artery, the A2 road replicates two former routes, connecting the town with Canterbury. The Roman road was followed for centuries until, in the late 18th century, it became a turnpike. Stagecoaches were operating: one description stated that the journey took all day to reach London, from 4am to being “in time for supper”.

The other main roads, travelling west and east, are the A20 to Folkestone and thence to London and the A258 through Deal to Sandwich.

The railway reached Dover from two directions: the South Eastern Railway's main line connected with Folkestone in 1844, and the London, Chatham and Dover Railway opened its line from Canterbury in 1861.

Dover has two long distance footpaths: the Saxon Shore Way and the North Downs Way. Two National Cycle Network routes begin their journey at the town.

Education

There are nine secondary level schools, 16 primary schools and two schools for special education.

Several of the state secondary schools now specialise: Astor College for the Arts; Dover Grammar School for Girls is a specialist Humanities College; Dover Grammar School for Boys, a Business and Enterprise College; St Edmund's Catholic College for the Performing Arts; and Archers Court, Maths and Computing College.

Dover College, a public school was founded in 1871 by a group of local business men.;

Health

Dover has one hospital, Buckland Hospital located in a former Victorian workhouse on Coombe Valley Road. The town once had four hospitals, Buckland, Royal Victoria, Isolation and the Eye Hospitals located at various points across the town. Buckland Hospital is currently (2008) threatened with closure and various local organisations are trying to stop the cuts facing the hospital.

Media

There are two local newspapers, with their free editions: the Dover Express/Dover & Deal Adscene, both owned by Kent Regional Newspapers; and the Dover Mercury|Dover and Deal Extra owned by the Kent Messenger Group. The Dover Mercury was founded in 1998.

Dover has one local commercial radio station: kmfm for Shepway & White Cliffs Country, broadcasting to Dover on 106.8FM. The station was founded in Dover as Neptune Radio in September 1997 but moved to Folkestone in 2003 and was consequently rebranded after a takeover by the Kent Messenger Group. The Gateway Hospital Broadcasting Service, in Buckland Hospital radio, closed at the end of 2006. It was the oldest station in East Kent.

Culture

There are two museums: the main Dover Museum and the Dover Transport Museum. Dover has three twin towns:

• Calais, France
• Huber Heights, Ohio, USA
• Split, Croatia

Sport

The Vista Leisure Centre, catering for a wide range of sports and activities, is on Townwall Street. There are sports clubs catering for the usual range of sports, among them football (Dover Athletic F.C.); rugby ; rowing ; swimming ; and netball (Dover and District Netball League).

One event which gets media attention is that of swimming the English Channel.

Sea fishing, from the beach, pier or out at sea, is carried out here. The so-called Dover sole (solea solea) is found all over European waters.

Places of interest

• Connaught Park
• Cowgate Nature Reserve
• Kearsney Abbey
• Russell Gardens
• Samphire Hoe Country Park
• Seafront promenade
• St Edmund's Chapel

People from Dover

References

Bibliography

• Statham, S.P.H. (1899). The history of the castle, town, and port of Dover. London: Longmans Green & Co..
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See also

The following websites contain more information about the town of Dover:
• The Municipal Website of the Town of Dover
• Dover-Kent.com
• DoverLife.co.uk - Information about the town for residents and visitors.
• Dover Locals - Community forum for events, history and chat.
• Dover Soul, local community website with information on Dover and district
• Essential local Dover information
• Local website for the Buckland area of Dover
• The Dover War Memorial Project