© www.dover-kent.co.uk 2022
Dover: Lock and Key of the Kingdom
The Burlington Hotel
The impressive bulk of the old Burlington Hotel was a landmark
on Dover’s Seafront until the Second World War. Built in the
1860s on the site of a building called Clarence House, the hotel
faced the sea across Clarence Lawn.
Originally to be called the Clarence Hotel it took over three
years to build, but in June, 1865, the flag which marked the
completion of the tower was hoisted in the presence of a party
of guests. The original company got into financial difficulties
and had to sell before the hotel was completed. It was
renamed the Imperial Hotel in 1867 when the lease changed
hands. It reached five storeys high and boasted 240 rooms but
only 200 were completed when it opened on September 13th,
1867. It cost £75,000 to build and £25,000 to furnish.
Unfortunately, the hotel was not always full and never really a
viable proposition, it closed in 1871 unable to meet the
mortgage charges. Closed till 1897 when it was purchased by
the Frederick Hotels Company. Following extensive alterations
it reopened on July 24th, 1897 as the Burlington Hotel.
During the First World War its ballroom was the scene of many
Naval and Military dances. The late Mr. Arthur Burr, the Kent
Coal financier, for several years had a flat at the hotel for use
during his visits to East Kent during the works of exploration
and boring for coal at the beginning of the century.
On September 30th, 1924, the owners, Frederick Hotels, closed
down and opted instead to invest in the Lord Warden Hotel,
purchased from the Gordon Hotel Company, which was better
situated to cater for cross channel passengers.
For over a year between 1927 and 1929, the building was used
as the head-quarters of the Southlands Training College for
Woman Students, whilst their permanent quarters near London
were being rebuilt. In 1931 it was taken over by a London
investor, who spent a considerable sum in improvements
converting it into flats known as Burlington Mansions.
At the outbreak of the Second World War more than a 150
people were resident there, but this number quickly dwindled
in succeeding months, and part of the premises were taken
over by the Naval Authorities. The building suffered its first
wartime damage in October, 1940, when a shell struck the
huge water tank on the roof, sending thousands of gallons of
water flooding the floors below. About sixteen people were
actually living in the flats at the time, and though all escaped
injury, considerable damage was done to the building by the
water.
Soon after the first shell damage the Naval Authorities moved
to the Lord Warden Hotel, but several families remained while
temporary repairs were carried out with a view to opening the
ballroom and adjoining room as an Officers' Club. Then, in
September, 1941 about a week before the club was due to be
opened a the building was hit by five high explosive bombs and
three people were killed. Shortly after this part of the building
was demolished using dynamite as it was in such an unstable
condition. The remains of the building were finally demolished
in 1949
on Dover’s Seafront until the Second World War. Built in the
1860s on the site of a building called Clarence House, the hotel
faced the sea across Clarence Lawn.
Originally to be called the Clarence Hotel it took over three
years to build, but in June, 1865, the flag which marked the
completion of the tower was hoisted in the presence of a party
of guests. The original company got into financial difficulties
and had to sell before the hotel was completed. It was
renamed the Imperial Hotel in 1867 when the lease changed
hands. It reached five storeys high and boasted 240 rooms but
only 200 were completed when it opened on September 13th,
1867. It cost £75,000 to build and £25,000 to furnish.
Unfortunately, the hotel was not always full and never really a
viable proposition, it closed in 1871 unable to meet the
mortgage charges. Closed till 1897 when it was purchased by
the Frederick Hotels Company. Following extensive alterations
it reopened on July 24th, 1897 as the Burlington Hotel.
During the First World War its ballroom was the scene of many
Naval and Military dances. The late Mr. Arthur Burr, the Kent
Coal financier, for several years had a flat at the hotel for use
during his visits to East Kent during the works of exploration
and boring for coal at the beginning of the century.
On September 30th, 1924, the owners, Frederick Hotels, closed
down and opted instead to invest in the Lord Warden Hotel,
purchased from the Gordon Hotel Company, which was better
situated to cater for cross channel passengers.
For over a year between 1927 and 1929, the building was used
as the head-quarters of the Southlands Training College for
Woman Students, whilst their permanent quarters near London
were being rebuilt. In 1931 it was taken over by a London
investor, who spent a considerable sum in improvements
converting it into flats known as Burlington Mansions.
At the outbreak of the Second World War more than a 150
people were resident there, but this number quickly dwindled
in succeeding months, and part of the premises were taken
over by the Naval Authorities. The building suffered its first
wartime damage in October, 1940, when a shell struck the
huge water tank on the roof, sending thousands of gallons of
water flooding the floors below. About sixteen people were
actually living in the flats at the time, and though all escaped
injury, considerable damage was done to the building by the
water.
Soon after the first shell damage the Naval Authorities moved
to the Lord Warden Hotel, but several families remained while
temporary repairs were carried out with a view to opening the
ballroom and adjoining room as an Officers' Club. Then, in
September, 1941 about a week before the club was due to be
opened a the building was hit by five high explosive bombs and
three people were killed. Shortly after this part of the building
was demolished using dynamite as it was in such an unstable
condition. The remains of the building were finally demolished
in 1949
