The Site of a timber yard and saw mill is visible in this location on historic OS maps dating to the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. (1-4) In 1830 Spring Gardens, named after the chalybeate spring, along with nearby Peter Street and Churchill Terrace, were built for paper makers from Charlton Paper Mill. The mill was established in 1833, by George Dickinson, the younger brother of the famous paper maker, on the southern end of what was Wood’s Meadow. This once covered the west bank of the Dour from Cherry Tree Avenue almost to Ladywell. Adjacent to this mill, Dickinson built a large mansion that he named Brook House – which is often confused with the Brook House on Maison Dieu Road that was notoriously demolished by Dover District Council. In 1856, William Crundall senior bought the mill for use as a sawmill and over the next 100years the firm expanded along both sides of the Dour. When the company was sold the original Charlton Paper Mill was demolished. Since then houses and the Charlton Shopping Centre occupy the site. (5)

<1> Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 1st edition 1862-1875): Landmark Epoch 1 (Map). SKE30964.

<2> Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 2nd Edition, 1897-1900): Landmark Epoch 2 (Map). SKE30965.

<3> Landmark, 1907-1923, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 3rd Edition, 1907-1923): Landmark Epoch 3 (Map). SKE30966.

<4> Landmark, Ordnance Survey 1:2,500 map (OS 4th Edition, 1929-1952): Landmark Epoch 4 (Map). SKE30967.

<5> Lorraine Sencicle, 2016, The Dover Historian - Dour River - Part I an Historical Overview (Website). SKE51679.