Western Heights: St Martins Battery
We have visited this specific site several times, mainly because we enjoy the view and exploring the gun ranges, but also because sometimes we feel lazy and cant face the walk back up the hill from Western Heights below, so we stay in the general area and on occasion have a respectful picnic.
However, Heritage Open Days Festival had opened the sites below and offered tours which we just couldn't miss as this is a site of grand interest to us, so we combined the three sites which make up The Heights all in one day and we have no regrets. So here is the first, entered by the car park that overlooks the port below.
St Martin's Battery, named after the patron saint of Dover, was initially a Victorian placement. Built between 1874 and 1877, the site was for three heavy 10 inch loading guns to protect the harbour below. The magazines were built nearby, but these guns were never used defensively, only for practice.
The site was disarmed in 1902 in favour of the guns in the Citadel and remained effectively abandoned for the next 40 years until 1941 when the site was reimagined for a role within the Second World War. This was of course prompted by the fall of France in 1940 and so the site was armed with three 6 inch guns to defend the coast.
The Victorian open gun pits were concreted over and brick emplacements built to shield the newer guns. The site was then covered with Earth for further protection and two pillboxes built, one ontop of the battery and one for anti aircraft. The site was used for the next 4 years and then disarmed in 1947 and abandoned, becoming the hang out spot for youth who like spray paint and burning things. A protection order has since been issued of course to protect this crucial part of Dover heritage, but parts have been closed off or demolished in the long years since the site protected our shores, but volunteers are doing their best to save what is left.
This is one of our most visited sites, we just can't stop coming back here. We love to walk the dog up here, hang out with friends for picnics, or even just sit quietly and look out to sea. The bare bones of the gun placements stand above the port, the struts that held the guns still sticking out of the concrete, the iron rungs outside used as ladders still vaguely sturdy. Of course the site is pretty much adjacent from the Castle on the opposite hill, but just as important in our eyes. They aided each other, this site able to accommodate 143 men during its war days, those stationed at the castle sent over, marching up or down the Grand shaft to get here. This site was monumental in the war, but St Martin's Battery is merely the top layer to this site, the first thing you see as you park in the car park. Don't worry, we're going through it all!
While no explicit ghost stories circulate around the place, there is undoubtedly multiple hauntings. With a history so richly soaked in tragic events there couldn't not be a soldier or two here. There's a creepy ambiance here, you only really want to visit in daylight, preferably summer. Unless like us you're a bit strange. Maybe it is the abandoned structures which have seen better days, we don't know, it just gives off bad vibes.
Of course we have also had our own ghostly experiences here. When we first got together we went on a night time drive (as you do) and came here to chat and look out at the sea, it was all very romantic. We lingered just outside of the battery chatting when suddenly a chill overcame us on that warm night and we heard screams. We then heard something heavy running in the darkness towards us and an overall bad feeling before we lost our nerve and fled back to the car. It was early days for us and our first experience with the supernatural as a couple, obviously it wasn't our last but it stirred the interest within us and not too long afterwards we started Phantom Adventures. We could still see clearly from the car by the way and nothing was there, so the phantom footsteps is enough to convince us not to stay after dark!
DISCLAIMER: Now for the official bit. This blog does not receive any paid promotions from the places mentioned above. We have not been approached to promote or act as spokespersons for any attraction mentioned within this post and this is simply a post intended to act as a day in the life of a couple on a cute date. All photos included are taken by ourselves and as such the rights for these images our ours, no links, brands, or companies mentioned otherwise belong or are associated with Phantom Adventures UK. We are responsible only for this blog. Opinions are our own and not influenced by any third party source..
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