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Dover: Lock and Key of the Kingdom
Dover Harbour - The Western Docks
The nucleus of the Western Docks is the docks and basins that
have developed on the site of the original mediaeval and Tudor
harbour.
Between 1840 and 1843 improvements were made to the Pent with
all the quays rebuilt in stone. Then work commenced on enlarging
the the Tidal Harbour by removing a large area of land in the
north-east corner. This enabled the construction of a new entrance
from the Tidal Harbour into the Pent with lock gates and a bridge
for the public. This work cut through Union Street and involved the
demolition of many buildings and the removal of 3000 wagon loads
of soil a week from 1844 to 1846. The new bridge was opened by
the Duke of Wellington, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and
Chairman of the Harbour Board.. The bridge was named after the
Duke and the Pent renamed the Wellington Dock.
The South Eastern Railway opened its Town Station in 1844 giving
a speedy link to London. The first section of the Admiralty Pier was
built between 1848 and 1854. In 1861 the London Chatham and
Dover Railway opened the Harbour Station providing a second link
to London.
The Harbour Board started further improvements, especially in the
Tidal Harbour, which were completed in 1871. The rebuilding of
the Basin between the Tidal Harbour and the Wellington Dock and
completed in 1874. It was named the Granville Dock after the then
Lord Warden, Earl Granville. Other improvements, including the
laying of railway lines along some of the quays to allow the easy
transport of goods, were completed in 1879. The entrance of the
Wellington Dock was widened in 1888 to allow larger ships to use
it.
The Western Docks were expanded through the 20th Century. In
the early 1900s the Prince of Wales Pier was briefly host to the
German trans-Atlantic liner traffic. The Marine Station opened to
civilian traffic after the First World War and the Train Ferry Dock in
1936. After the Second World War the growing Eastern Docks and
the popularity of car ferries reduced the number of traditional rail
to ship passengers. New services were developed from the Western
Docks with the building of the Hoverport and later the introduction
of jetfoil and seacat services. After the closure of the Marine
Station the site was redeveloped into the highly successful cruise
liner terminal. The Granville and Wellington Docks continued to
handle most of the cargo traffic through the port until the middle of
the 20th Century. As the commercial traffic declined the two docks
were redeveloped into the Marina.
The Port of Dover Master Plan published in March 2006 outlined
proposals to develop a new ferry terminal at the Western Docks
with direct road access to the A20/M20. This could provide a
location for up to four new ferry berths.
In 2014 more detailed plans were unveiled. To make better use of
space in the Western Docks, it will be necessary to modify Prince of
Wales Pier and absorb the old Hoverport and some of the land
currently dedicated to freight customs clearance. In addition it will
be necessary to reclaim the Granville Dock and the Tidal Harbour
marina areas to create adequate space for the new terminal.
The marina is an important asset to tourism and the attractiveness
of the harbour front. So the plan outlines proposals to create a new
marina in a more prominent position in the outer harbour in the lee
of the Prince of Wales Pier.
It is interesting to compare the plans for development of new
berths along the Prince of Wales outlined in the plan of 1906
(below left) with the plans from 2014 (below right).
have developed on the site of the original mediaeval and Tudor
harbour.
Between 1840 and 1843 improvements were made to the Pent with
all the quays rebuilt in stone. Then work commenced on enlarging
the the Tidal Harbour by removing a large area of land in the
north-east corner. This enabled the construction of a new entrance
from the Tidal Harbour into the Pent with lock gates and a bridge
for the public. This work cut through Union Street and involved the
demolition of many buildings and the removal of 3000 wagon loads
of soil a week from 1844 to 1846. The new bridge was opened by
the Duke of Wellington, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and
Chairman of the Harbour Board.. The bridge was named after the
Duke and the Pent renamed the Wellington Dock.
The South Eastern Railway opened its Town Station in 1844 giving
a speedy link to London. The first section of the Admiralty Pier was
built between 1848 and 1854. In 1861 the London Chatham and
Dover Railway opened the Harbour Station providing a second link
to London.
The Harbour Board started further improvements, especially in the
Tidal Harbour, which were completed in 1871. The rebuilding of
the Basin between the Tidal Harbour and the Wellington Dock and
completed in 1874. It was named the Granville Dock after the then
Lord Warden, Earl Granville. Other improvements, including the
laying of railway lines along some of the quays to allow the easy
transport of goods, were completed in 1879. The entrance of the
Wellington Dock was widened in 1888 to allow larger ships to use
it.
The Western Docks were expanded through the 20th Century. In
the early 1900s the Prince of Wales Pier was briefly host to the
German trans-Atlantic liner traffic. The Marine Station opened to
civilian traffic after the First World War and the Train Ferry Dock in
1936. After the Second World War the growing Eastern Docks and
the popularity of car ferries reduced the number of traditional rail
to ship passengers. New services were developed from the Western
Docks with the building of the Hoverport and later the introduction
of jetfoil and seacat services. After the closure of the Marine
Station the site was redeveloped into the highly successful cruise
liner terminal. The Granville and Wellington Docks continued to
handle most of the cargo traffic through the port until the middle of
the 20th Century. As the commercial traffic declined the two docks
were redeveloped into the Marina.
The Port of Dover Master Plan published in March 2006 outlined
proposals to develop a new ferry terminal at the Western Docks
with direct road access to the A20/M20. This could provide a
location for up to four new ferry berths.
In 2014 more detailed plans were unveiled. To make better use of
space in the Western Docks, it will be necessary to modify Prince of
Wales Pier and absorb the old Hoverport and some of the land
currently dedicated to freight customs clearance. In addition it will
be necessary to reclaim the Granville Dock and the Tidal Harbour
marina areas to create adequate space for the new terminal.
The marina is an important asset to tourism and the attractiveness
of the harbour front. So the plan outlines proposals to create a new
marina in a more prominent position in the outer harbour in the lee
of the Prince of Wales Pier.
It is interesting to compare the plans for development of new
berths along the Prince of Wales outlined in the plan of 1906
(below left) with the plans from 2014 (below right).
