Monument record TR 34 SW 540 - Tunnel entrance for Tilmanstone Aerial ropeway,betteshanger

Summary

Tunnel entrance for the Tilmanstone Aerial ropeway located at Langdon Hole, to the east of Dover. This sloping entranceway and an associated building is visible on aerial photography taken in 1945 and 1946. Whilst the entrance has been infilled and levelled as of 2001 some external banking to the south and east of the feature is still present. The NMR record suggests the ropeway was closed in the early 1950s.

Location

Grid reference TR 3420 4242 (point) Approximate
Map sheet TR34SW
County KENT
District DOVER, KENT
Civil Parish ST MARGARET’S AT CLIFFE, DOVER, KENT

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

The entrance to the tunnel is located immediately to the east of the Cobbler and below the Cliff Road. A large mound of spoil is marked on the OS maps and the sealed doorway lies to the north of it. No trace of the tunnel entrance was located during the survey. The OS maps show the Driving Station still present on the site. The tunnels were investigated by the Kent Underground Research Group in 1989 when the building was still intact but all the machinery had gone (KURG 1989). (1)

Tunnel entrance for the Tilmanstone Aerial ropeway located on Langdon Hole, to the east of Dover. This sloping entranceway is visible on aerial photography taken in 1945. The entrance to the tunnel was approximately 35 m in length and around 4 m in width. Aerial photography dated to 1945-46 shows a small L-shaped building or structure approximately 2-3 from the tunnel entrance. The building appears to have a blast wall. Whilst the entrance has been infilled and levelled as of 2001 some external banking / spoil is still present to the immediate south-east (2).

The NMR record suggests the ropeway was closed in the early 1950s.


<1> Nicola Bannister, 1999, Langdon Cliffs Survey (Unpublished document). SKE6595.

<2> Aerial Photographs held by the Channel Coastal Observatory, AP_2001_TR3442_sw (Photograph). SWX15703.

Sources/Archives (2)

  • <1> Unpublished document: Nicola Bannister. 1999. Langdon Cliffs Survey.
  • <2> Photograph: Aerial Photographs held by the Channel Coastal Observatory. AP_2001_TR3442_sw.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • Non-Intrusive Event: Langdon Cliffs Historic Landscape Survey (EKE4862)
  • Non-Intrusive Event: South-East Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey (Ref: 71330) (EWX10065)

Record last edited

Aug 5 2019 2:28PM