(summarised from source)

An area of terracing of the cliffs behind Snargate Street, Dover, which had been laid out as gardens. Initially owned by Stephen Court, who was born in Acrise in 1761, the gardens were associated with Courts Wine Merchants which were situated at 140 Snargate Street, just below the gardens. Within these gardens the Courts grew all the different varieties of the grapes they used to make the wines they sold. The Courts also sold other exotic fruit, including figs and dates.

Records suggest that the wine merchants business may have been run by Stephen's son John initially, in a different part of Dover. John died in 1813, at which point the business was moved to Snargate Street and the shop was leased by the Courts from Dover Harbour Board and the land from Thomas Rutley and Thomas Papillon.

On this land Stephen and Rogers built terracing for vines, tea gardens and dug an extensive network of vaults into the cliffs behind. These vaults had plastered and painted walls and chalk carvings. Perhaps most impressively, the Courts built a summerhouse at the top of the terracing and further along the cliff-face they built a folly in the shape of Dover Castle. These features became tourist attractions; customers could taste-test products sitting on the terracing and have tours of the vaults.

The vaults still survive in the cliffs behind, leased out as storage by the angling club. The vaults still retain traces of the plastering and painting, as well as the carvings and decorations and the wine bins. The terracing up the cliff face also survives, though now it is largely overgrown. Interestingly wild grapes, figs and other exotics still grow there. The terrace summerhouse has long gone but the folly still survives, partially ruined and hidden from view by trees. (1)

<1> Dover Museum, 2017, Dover Museum Website - Articles and Factsheets Courts the Wine Merchants 140 Snargate St (Website). SKE32075.