The Grand shaft was designed to connect the fort on the Western Heights with the harbour. Its entrance at the foot of the cliffs, off Snargate Street consisted of a courtyard, gate and associated military guard buildings. A number of phases of development have been identified within the courtyard. A series of major additions and alterations that were made to the entrance courtyard to the Grand Shaft in the mid-19th century constitutes the second phase. One of the additions during this phase was a new toilet and possible wash room against the south-west boundary wall, between a cell and a passage. The brickwork in all of the buildings associated with the second phase of development of this site used an English Bond set in a moderate cream-yellow sandy mortar with frequent small chalk/lime fragments (2-8mm) and occasional smaller angular flint fragments (2-8mm). Most of the structures occupying this courtyard were demolished in about 1969 and the entire monument remained derelict until it was largely restored by Dover District Council in the 1970's (1).

An architect’s plan of the elevation and sections of the proposed extensions to the entrance structures dates to 1859. This phase of development of the site my therefore be dated to after then.(2)

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Trust, 1993, The Dover Grand Shaft Project: Report on Archaeological Work at the Snargate Street Entrance (Unpublished document).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

<2> 1859, Historic Plan: Plan, elevation and section of proposed extensions to the (Grand Shaft) entrance structures (Cartographic materials). SKE31699.