Snargate Street Tunnels

Snargate Street Dover runs along the waterfront by the western docks. Behind the shops and buildings lining the northern side of the road is a low chalk cliff. Along the bottom of this cliff are a series of rooms and tunnels cut into the chalk. Most of these excavations belong to the properties in front. The photos here were taken in Feb.1977 when some construction work was being carried out on one of the sites. I believe these tunnels were to the west of the Grand Shaft staircase lower entrance. For pictures of other tunnels in Snargate Street click here.

 

Plan of tunnels courtesy of Paul Wells.

 

Entrance western end of Snargate Street.

 

Same site in March 2001.

 

In front of entrance.

 

Large brick lined room with arched roof.

 

Further in room is no longer brick lined.

 

Room cut through good chalk, looking back towards entrance.

 

Connecting tunnel to second room.

 

In second room at chalk fall. Open sky at top of picture.

 

Looking back into room from top of chalk fall.

 

Smaller chamber on left of second room.

 

Large room with tunnel leading to shaft at end.

 

Looking through into shaft at end of tunnel.

 

Looking up shaft. Pipe goes on up till lost to view.

(I believe machinery at the base of the pipe may have been a

ram pump to supply water to installations at the top of the cliff).