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 were made to the entrance courtyard to the Grand Shaft constitutes the second phase. One of the additions during this phase was a sewer running centrally through the courtyard under the main walkway. This sewage interceptor pit is connected with the main drain from the Grand Shaft barracks above and its existence is confirmed by a map dating to 1893. Excavation of the site revealed that the structure remains solid and in a sound state (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Trust, 1993, The Dover Grand Shaft Project: Report on Archaeological Work at the Snargate Street Entrance (Unpublished document).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.