Brick fort built during the Napoleonic Wars replacing an irregular self-contained fieldwork, begun at the end of the 1780s. The pentagonal work was added to in the 1860s with a spur on the east from it's encirling ditch to the cliff edge and another running west. In 1851 the Redoubt was armed with 3x 24 pdrs, 6 x 12 pdrs and an 8" mortar. Following its remodelling in the 1860s, it was re-armed with 7" breech-loaders. Smoothbore guns were mounted in the caponiers for ditch defence. The Drop Redoubt was used during the Second World War but, abandoned shortly afterwards. The earthworks, located next to the 'terreplein', form of a complex of trenches and are of mainly First and Second World War origin, some used perhaps for training purposes. The internal buildings fall into three blocks: the Guard House and Officers' Quarters lining a sunken elongated courtyard; the Soldiers' Quarters and Ablutions/Staff Sergeants' Quarters facing across the Parade Ground; the Main Magazine. The defences are represented by a rampart and ditch; the scarping of the hillside; the main entrance; the 'terreplein'; the parapet; and four 'caponiers'. (1-6)

From the National Heritage list of England:

The defences on Western Heights were initially begun in 1779 during the war with America, Spain, Holland and France, and although in 1781 the Board of Ordnance purchased 33 acres of land, by the end of the war in 1783 the works were still not completed. A map of 1784 shows a bastioned fort on the site of the present Drop Redoubt, a series of earthwork batteries and a second bastioned work extending for the full width of the western side of the plateau. A 350m length of bank and double ditch situated on the scarp between the present Citadel and North Centre Bastions probably belongs to this early building phase. Little further work was done at the site until the outbreak of war with France in 1793. Between 1793 and 1796, 4,885 pounds was spent on building, but this ceased entirely from 1797 to 1804. Following a renewed invasion scare, during 1803-1804 plans were drawn up by Captain William Ford to enhance the existing fortifications with the intention of housing a garrison of sufficient size to secure the Heights against attack, whilst enabling it to direct flanking fire onto any invasion force attempting to assault the town and port from the west. The defences were to consist of a main defensive point or citadel on the western side of the Heights and a redoubt on the eastern side linked by strong defensive lines; their construction began in April 1804 under the direction of Lt Col William Twiss. The Drop Redoubt was built between 1804 and 1815 and commands extensive views of the town, harbour and castle. It has bomb proof barracks for 200 men and was intended to mount 12 of the heavy 24 pounder guns, with two carronades for close protection. When initially begun, the Citadel consisted of a large parade ground surrounded by store houses, barracks, magazines and an unrevetted defensive ditch. It was originally planned to arm the Citadel with forty-three 18 pounder guns, and 31 carronades. Water for the barracks was supplied via a well 130m in depth. (7)

further information about the historical developmen of this fort is available within the Built Heritage Conservation Framework for Dovers Western Heights. (8)

1952, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SKE1.

<1> Victor Smith and Andrew Saunders, 2001, Kent's Defence Heritage (Unpublished document). SKE6956.

<2> Bennett, D., 1977, A Handbook of Kent's Defences 1540-1945 (Monograph). SKE7811.

<3> Doug Crellin, 1973, 19th Century Fortifications, Dover - Part 1 (Article in serial). SKE7826.

<4> Doug Crellin, 1973, Dover's 19th Century Fortifications - Part 2 (Article in serial). SKE7827.

<5> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1990, Dover Western Heights: Grand Shaft Barracks: An Interim Archaeological Assessment Preparatory to Evaluation (Unpublished document). SKE6727.

<6> English Heritage, 2000, The Western Heights, Dover, Kent. Report No 3 The Drop Redoubt: A 19th-Century Artillery Fortification (Unpublished document). SKE13677.

<7> Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

<8> Liv Gibbs, 2012, Built Heritage Conservation Framework for Dover Western Heights (Unpublished document). SKE17708.

<9> Kent Defence Research Group, c. 1993, Kent Defence Research Group 'Fort Logs' (Unpublished document). SKE52251.