© www.dover-kent.co.uk 2024
Dover: Lock and Key of the Kingdom
The White Cliffs of Dover
The cliffs of Dover were mentioned by Julius Caesar in his
account of the Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC. Shakespeare
too makes reference to them in 'King Lear' and the lines
beginning "There is a cliff, whose high and bending head looks
fearfully on the confined deep" are commemorated by
Shakespeare Cliff to the west of the town.
Throughout the centuries, the chalk cliffs have been a symbol of
home to Britons abroad and coupled with bluebirds in the
popular song of World War II, they provided a world-wide
symbol of peace. Although any visitor hoping to see the
bluebirds will be disappointed as they were artistic licence on
the part of the song writer - obviously bluebirds sounded more
romantic than sea gulls!
The cliffs were formed in the Cretaceous Period (Mesozoic Era),
which commenced about 136,000,000 years ago, and are
essentially marine in origin, probably originating in deep, open
sea. They consist mainly of upper, middle and lower chalk, i.e.
white, soft pure limestone composed of countless shells. The
top of Shakespeare Cliff for example, consists of nodular upper
chalk with flints, the centre of middle white and nodular chalk
and the bottom of chalk (glauconitic) marl and grey chalk on a
base of gault and greensand.
Numerous fossils have been discovered in the chalk, ranging
from shark's teeth, ventriculites, micrasters and many sponges
in the upper chalk, to large pectens, palatal teeth oysters,
ammonites, remains of saurians and brain corals in the middle
and lower chalk.
Langdon Cliffs
To the east of Dover five miles of countryside and coast are
owned by the National Trust. Langdon Cliffs overlook the Straits
of Dover and are an excellent place to watch world’s busiest
shipping lanes. There is a visitor centre, known as 'The Gateway
to the White Cliffs', with a coffee shop and displays about the
cliffs.
The chalk downland on top of the cliffs is very rare. Many of the
plants pre-date the last Ice Age and are adapted to the thin
chalk soils and traditional grazing management. Many of the
plants are almost unique to this part of Kent.
The National Trust continues to graze the chalk downland along
the cliff top using Exmoor Ponies. In other areas, where grazing
is not possible, a hay cut is taken for the benefit of the chalk
downland.
The chalk downland supports a rich variety of wildlife. The mild
climate makes it an ideal habitat for the Common Lizard and a
variety of insects and butterflies are supported by the unique
plant communities.
Kittywakes, Fulmars and Peregrin Falcons all make their home
on the White Cliffs. The sheer cliffs provide a secure nest site,
safe from predators. The chalk downland above provides a
nesting site for the Skylark.
You can walk along the cliff top to visit South Foreland
Lighthouse, which is also owned by the National Trust. There
has been a lighthouse on the South Foreland for hundreds of
years. The present tower was built in 1843 to protect shipping
from the Goodwin Sands just off shore.
It was from the South Foreland lighthouse, on 28th December
1898, that Gugliemo Marconi made the world's first ship to
shore radio transmissions and subsequently the world's first
international transmission to Wimereux, in France, 28 Miles
away.
account of the Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC. Shakespeare
too makes reference to them in 'King Lear' and the lines
beginning "There is a cliff, whose high and bending head looks
fearfully on the confined deep" are commemorated by
Shakespeare Cliff to the west of the town.
Throughout the centuries, the chalk cliffs have been a symbol of
home to Britons abroad and coupled with bluebirds in the
popular song of World War II, they provided a world-wide
symbol of peace. Although any visitor hoping to see the
bluebirds will be disappointed as they were artistic licence on
the part of the song writer - obviously bluebirds sounded more
romantic than sea gulls!
The cliffs were formed in the Cretaceous Period (Mesozoic Era),
which commenced about 136,000,000 years ago, and are
essentially marine in origin, probably originating in deep, open
sea. They consist mainly of upper, middle and lower chalk, i.e.
white, soft pure limestone composed of countless shells. The
top of Shakespeare Cliff for example, consists of nodular upper
chalk with flints, the centre of middle white and nodular chalk
and the bottom of chalk (glauconitic) marl and grey chalk on a
base of gault and greensand.
Numerous fossils have been discovered in the chalk, ranging
from shark's teeth, ventriculites, micrasters and many sponges
in the upper chalk, to large pectens, palatal teeth oysters,
ammonites, remains of saurians and brain corals in the middle
and lower chalk.
Langdon Cliffs
To the east of Dover five miles of countryside and coast are
owned by the National Trust. Langdon Cliffs overlook the Straits
of Dover and are an excellent place to watch world’s busiest
shipping lanes. There is a visitor centre, known as 'The Gateway
to the White Cliffs', with a coffee shop and displays about the
cliffs.
The chalk downland on top of the cliffs is very rare. Many of the
plants pre-date the last Ice Age and are adapted to the thin
chalk soils and traditional grazing management. Many of the
plants are almost unique to this part of Kent.
The National Trust continues to graze the chalk downland along
the cliff top using Exmoor Ponies. In other areas, where grazing
is not possible, a hay cut is taken for the benefit of the chalk
downland.
The chalk downland supports a rich variety of wildlife. The mild
climate makes it an ideal habitat for the Common Lizard and a
variety of insects and butterflies are supported by the unique
plant communities.
Kittywakes, Fulmars and Peregrin Falcons all make their home
on the White Cliffs. The sheer cliffs provide a secure nest site,
safe from predators. The chalk downland above provides a
nesting site for the Skylark.
You can walk along the cliff top to visit South Foreland
Lighthouse, which is also owned by the National Trust. There
has been a lighthouse on the South Foreland for hundreds of
years. The present tower was built in 1843 to protect shipping
from the Goodwin Sands just off shore.
It was from the South Foreland lighthouse, on 28th December
1898, that Gugliemo Marconi made the world's first ship to
shore radio transmissions and subsequently the world's first
international transmission to Wimereux, in France, 28 Miles
away.
