DOVER. A Parliamentary and municipal borough of Kent, England. on the Strait of Dover, at the month of the Dour. 011 miles east southeast of London (Map: England, II 5). It is the headquarters of the southeastern district of the British Army, and is not only a charm ingly situated watering-place, but, being the nearest point of the English •oa,t to France, 21 miles distant, is a seaport of importance. Among the noteworthy buildings in Dover, aside from its fortifivations, are the two ancient churches of Saint Mary and Old Saint James; the laison Dieu, founded in the thirteenth cen tury as a pilgrims' hospital. but now used for municipal purposes as a part of the new town hall: and the remains of Saint :11artin's Priory, incorporated as a part of Dover College. The fortifications are very extensive. On the chalk cliffs to east of the town rises Dover Castle, founded by the Romans and f4)rtitied and enlarged by the Saxons and Norman:. It contain, the re mains of a Roman pharos, and an old fortress •hurch. a specimen of Roman-British architecture. To the north of the castle is Fort Burgoyne, a drop redoubt. the north centre bas •ion and citadel. these bights are large barracks, the ruins of another pharo:. and a circular church of the Knights Templar.
In 18.9 I it Was lIVVid01 to form an enormous harbor by building out the Admiralty Pier to form the western boundary. and erecting a new pier east of the castle as the eastern boundary. The harbor facilities include two large docks. The
corporation owns its water-supply and owns and operates electric street railways. It public. baths, markets. and a technical school. Dover returns ono member to Parliament. Tics United State, is represented by a consular agent. No special trade is attached to the town. which transacts a miscellaneous maritime business,. with the and Belgian port: in the import of woolen and silk goods, lam feathers, skin,, art i li Hower,. goods. wine. metal ores, and timber and in the export of wearing apparel. cotton yarn and manufactures. nmehinery and mill work. silverplate and plated ware. books. etc. The total vilne of exports and imports in 191)4) ex•eeded f11.111,409 I Dover offers excellent I•rbor accommodation for every variety of shipping. Population. in 1901. 41.800. In Roman days Dover was a- Dubris: the Norm insealled it Dovore: the French. Douvres. Fortified and walled by William the Conqueror, during %%114):e feign it was nearly burned down, noted as the place of King John's submission lei the Pope, besieged by the French, held during the Civil War by the Parliamentarians, threatened by the first Napoleon, and long celebrated as the Headquarters of the lord wardens of the Cinque Ports, Dover holds a distinguished place in Eng lish history. Consult Statham. History of DoriT, with a bibliography (London, 1899).