Langdon Battery- Part 2

Dating from the early years of the 20th Century, Langdon Battery was armed with 4 x 6" guns. Langdon served through both wars up until 1956. During WW2 Langdon was connected to Dover Castle with tunnels via the old prison site, near the battery, then used for coastal artillery troops. Tunnels connected the old prison site with the Eastern Docks below, to Dover Castle and out to Langdon Battery. I have not come across any signs of these tunnels (except for the top entrance to the stairs that lead to the docks below) although there may be access to them from the lower levels of Dumpy. Dumpy is one level of the complex of tunnels underlying Dover Castle, and this level is still not open to the public. For a map of the Langdon Bay area click here.

 

Tunnel led into Observation Post built into cliffs overlooking Eastern Docks.

For pictures taken (some 25 years later) inside the Observation Post see here.

 

Hole in brickwork under concrete slabs leads into...

 

...another underground corridor, modified in WW2.

Note rope with loops coming from entrance hole at top of brick pillar.

 

Underground corridor linking magazines.

 

View magazines and blanked off stairs (at left), from entrance hole.

 

Sign stencilled onto concrete wall.

 

Inside magazines. Note shell hoist.

 

Inside magazines.

 

One of the shell hoists.

 

Close up of shell hoist.

Note crank handle and chain drive.

 

Another entrance to the underground rooms at Langdon Battery.

Dover Castle in background. Photos taken Aug.1977.

 

Close up of entrance.

Note arm of digger in background- start of construction work on new Coastguard Station.

 

At bottom of rope leading to more underground rooms.

 

Original brick built section below WW2 additions.

 

One of original rooms below battery.

 

View along tunnel cut through chalk.