page_title: Dover Western Heights
section_title: Introduction
hierarchical_section_title: Dover Western Heights / Introduction
context_page_description: The Western Heights of Dover are one of the most impressive fortifications in Britain. They comprise a series of forts, strong points and ditches, designed to protect the country from invasion. They were created in the 18th and 19th centuries to augment the existing defences and protect the key port of Dover from both seaward and landward attack; by the start of the 20th century Dover Western Heights was collectively reputed to be the 'strongest and most elaborate' fortification in the country. The Army finally withdrew from the Heights in 1956-61; they are now a local nature reserve.
context_section_description: First given earthworks in 1779 against the planned invasion that year, the high ground west of Dover, England, now called Dover Western Heights, was properly fortified in 1804 when Lieutenant-Colonel William Twiss was instructed to modernise the existing defences. This was part of a huge programme of fortification in response to Napoleon's planned invasion of the United Kingdom. It followed a sustained period of related work by Twiss on upgrading the fortifications of nearby Dover Castle (1794-1803).
caption: Dover in 1884: the Castle is seen at the top (i.e. to the north-east); Western Heights is laid out below, to the west of the town and harbour.
exif: {"Image Copyright": "Public Domain, from the British Library's collections, 2013"}