Services related to the Port of Dover provide a great deal of the town’s employment, as does tourism, although many of the former ferry services have declined. There was a military barracks in Dover, which was closed in 2007.
Dover’s name originated with its river – the River Dour, deriving from the Brythonic Dubrās ("the waters"), via its Latinized form of Dubris. The cliffs also gave Britain its ancient name of Albion ("white"). The Romans called it ’’Porte Dubris’’; the modern name was in use at least by the time Shakespeare wrote 'King Lear' (between 1603 and 1606), in which the town and its cliffs play a prominent role.
Dover’s history, because of its proximity to France, has always been of great strategic importance to Britain. Archaeological finds have shown that there were Stone Age people in the area; and that by the Bronze Age the maritime influence was already strong. Some Iron Age finds exist also, but the coming of the Romans made Dover part of their communications network. Like Lemanis (Lympne) and Rutupiae (Richborough) Dover was connected by road to Canterbury and Watling Street; and it became Portus Dubris, a fortified port. Forts were built above the port; lighthouses were constructed to guide ships; and one of the best-preserved Roman villas in Britain is here.
Dover figured largely in the Domesday Book as an important borough. It also served as a bastion against various attackers: notably the French during the Napoleonic Wars; and against Germany during World War II.
The site of its original settlement lies in the valley of the River Dour, making it an ideal place for a port, sheltered from the prevailing south-westerly winds. This led to the silting up of the river mouth by the action of longshore drift; the town was then forced into making artificial breakwaters to keep the port in being. These breakwaters have been extended and adapted so that the port lies almost entirely on reclaimed land.
The higher land on either side of the valley – the Western Heights and the eastern high point on which Dover Castle stands – has been adapted to perform the function of protection against invaders. The town has gradually extended up the river valley, encompassing several villages in doing so. Little growth is possible along the coast, since the cliffs are on the sea’s edge. The railway, being tunnelled and embanked, skirts the foot of the cliffs.
At the 2001 census, the town of Dover had 28,156 inhabitants, while the population of the whole urban area of Dover, as calculated by the Office for National Statistics, was 39,078 inhabitants.
With the expansion of Dover, many of the outlying ancient villages have been incorporated into the town. Originally the parishes of Dover St. Mary's and Dover St. James, since 1836 Buckland and Charlton have become part Dover, and Maxton (a hamlet to the west), River, Kearsney, Temple Ewell, and Whitfield, all to the north of the town centre, are within its conurbation.
The Port of Dover is also used by cruise ship passengers, and the old Dover Marine railway station building, together with a newly built one, cater for those passengers.
The ferry lines using the port are (number of daily sailings in parentheses):
These services have been cut in recent years:
The Dover lifeboat is a Severn class lifeboat based in the Western Docks.
The other main roads, travelling west and east, are the A20 to Folkestone and thence to London and the A258 through Deal to Sandwich.
The railway reached Dover from two directions: the South Eastern Railway's main line connected with Folkestone in 1844, and the London, Chatham and Dover Railway opened its line from Canterbury in 1861. A tram system operated in the town from 1897 to 1936.
Dover has two long distance footpaths: the Saxon Shore Way and the North Downs Way. Two National Cycle Network routes begin their journey at the town.
There are nine secondary level schools, 16 primary schools and two schools for special education.
Several of the state secondary schools now specialise: Astor College for the Arts; Dover Grammar School for Girls is a specialist Humanities College; Dover Grammar School for Boys, a Business and Enterprise College; St Edmund's Catholic College for the Performing Arts; and Dover Christ Church Academy, a specialist Maths, ICT and Music Academy.
The Duke of York's Royal Military School, England's only military boarding school for children of service personnel (co-ed ages 11–18), is also located in Dover, next to the military base.
Dover College, a public school was founded in 1871 by a group of local business men.
The Gateway Hospital Broadcasting Service, in Buckland Hospital radio, closed at the end of 2006. It was the oldest station in East Kent.
Dover Community Radio (DCR) currently offer a podcast service for the town from its website covering local events and information in an audio format to promote the town. DCR also hope to run a Internet radio station, or a Events radio station in the near future aiming to become a community radio station covering Dover district.
Dover has three twin towns: Calais, France Huber Heights, Ohio, USA Split, Croatia
One event which gets media attention is that of swimming the English Channel.
Sea fishing, from the beach, pier or out at sea, is carried out here. The so-called Dover sole (solea solea) is found all over European waters.
Category:Cinque ports Category:Populated coastal places in Kent * Category:Ports and harbours of Kent Category:Ports and harbours of the English Channel Category:Towns in Kent Category:France – United Kingdom border crossings
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![Sea France Berlioz arriving at Dover in August 2008. Sea France Moliere (built 2002), formerly Super fast X and Jean Nicoli, purchased by Sea France in 2007[12] and refitted for the Dover-Calais route in Dunkerque at the cost of €15 million.](http://web.archive.org./web/20110219102858im_/http://cdn.wn.com/pd/90/0e/737704bc12890b579a092eb610fa_grande.jpg "Sea France Berlioz arriving at Dover in August 2008. Sea France Moliere (built 2002), formerly Super fast X and Jean Nicoli, purchased by Sea France in 2007[12] and refitted for the Dover-Calais route in Dunkerque at the cost of €15 million.")
![Sea France Berlioz arriving at Dover in August 2008. Sea France Moliere (built 2002), formerly Super fast X and Jean Nicoli, purchased by Sea France in 2007[12] and refitted for the Dover-Calais route in Dunkerque at the cost of €15 million.](http://web.archive.org./web/20110219102858im_/http://cdn.wn.com/pd/90/0e/737704bc12890b579a092eb610fa_thumb.jpg "Sea France Berlioz arriving at Dover in August 2008. Sea France Moliere (built 2002), formerly Super fast X and Jean Nicoli, purchased by Sea France in 2007[12] and refitted for the Dover-Calais route in Dunkerque at the cost of €15 million.")
