The Grand Shaft, which was designed to connect the fortress on the Western Heights with the harbour, may be accessed at the bottom of the cliffs off Snargate Street via an entrance courtyard. When first constructed (after c.1807) this courtyard would have originally consisted of a boundary wall, gate and guard house. Aside from some areas of walling, few of the original features associated with the first period of this entrance courtyard survive.

Beyond the boundary walls of the courtyard, adjacent to the street an 8 m stretch of original stone cobble paving survives consisting of rectangular granite setts. This is generally well preserved. (1)

<1> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1993, The Dover Grand Shaft Project: Report on Archaeological Work at the Snargate Street Entrance (Unpublished document). SKE6833.

<2> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1995-1996, Canterbury’s Archaeology 1995–1996, Fieldwork: III Kent Sites (Article in serial). SKE32047.