North Centre Bastion Ghosts , Western Heights, Dover, Kent, UK (Enhanced)

With reference to the annotated satellite map (see below) of the North Centre Bastion, this image was taken at the center of the Tunnel 4 inverted 'Y' junction, looking northwards towards the main T2/3/4 junction.

This is an enhanced view of the original image

A paranormal event? Can you see the outline of two figures?

This image was taken on April 18th, 2007. An earlier visit (April 1st, 2007) also produced an unusual image (which has also been enhanced), and both visits produced lots of photos with orbs on.

Standard Info:

See the Satellite view of the North Center Bastion annotated with tunnel system locations, surface features, drawbridges, etc.

The North Center Bastion is only part of Dover's extensive Napoleonic defenses - click on Western Heights and then check the tag list for all the locations covered (eg Drop Redoubt, Grand Shaft, North Entrance - more will be added as time goes on).

Also see St Martin's Battery

I see them :)

Goody! :)

I see something wispy with two darker areas that looks like a chest x-ray. Figures?

Nawitka said:

I see something wispy with two darker areas that looks like a chest x-ray. Figures?

I think they look like figures, Nawitka.

I've made an animated gif which progressively increases the white level in the original photo to produce the photo shown at the top of this page - see what you think:

Animated Ghost Gif

well well john latter guess u were right l'm a blond:)

rosina lamberti said:

well well john latter guess u were right l'm a blond:)

And here's the proof :)

John, I lived just a few yards away from the citadel just past the old borstal officers club - (the burnt out building on citadel road). I can tell you without hesitation that the area is extremely paranormal. Both myself, my partner, my mother, and friends so on so forth experienced supernatural events at our flat. Ranging from hot and cold spells, through to doors opening and closing, lights turning on and off, electrical interference on tvs and radios, visible mists in the hallway and living room, and what I can only describe as an extreme fear that would decend upon you for no apparent reason. The sceptics can scoff, but unless you see and/or experience it first hand, you'll never know what its like. That place is well haunted. And not a good haunting either. If you have to go, next time take a crucifix (and more importantly a ghetto blaster and a friend or two). As for the rest of the citadel and its rat runs, ive seen other pictures online of the same places absolutely filled with orbs and unexplained anomilies. I just wish I had photographic proof to back up my statement - but I have my memories and those of the people that visited!

Hi Rob,

My friends and I used to play in the tunnels and moats of the Western Heights as children and my original plan in returning there was to take some photos, add some historical info, and then tell one or two anecdotes from childhood. I never expected to take photos with these kind of 'optical oddities' in them!

Both myself, my partner, my mother, and friends so on so forth experienced supernatural events at our flat. Ranging from hot and cold spells, through to doors opening and closing, lights turning on and off, electrical interference on tvs and radios, visible mists in the hallway and living room, and what I can only describe as an extreme fear that would descend upon you for no apparent reason.

Those are the kind of experiences I would like to have so that I could 'believe' in the paranormal a little more. I'm certainly very curious about the photos though - and I can understand how anyone who has had the experiences you describe would not take kindly to having them dismissed.

As Einstein said, "If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?".

People who dismiss things out of hand tend to have a fear of the uncertainty that necessarily goes hand-in-hand with exploring either the 'conventional' or the 'unconventional'

i have been in there manytimes and it is the only place that noone likes to go because of paranormal activites but it dosnt dispise the fact that it is such a rush going in there because you are alone .... or are you?

how can u walk around that place ive been there and its well dark and always like someone is behind u !!!!do u know how far it goes underground???:)

kelly123456 said:

how can u walk around that place ive been there and its well dark and always like someone is behind u !!!!do u know how far it goes underground???:)

Thank you for your message, Kelly :)

I was 3 years old when my brother-in-law first took me to these tunnels, and I was about 5 or 6 when my friends and I began exploring them for ourselves.

In those days, just about everything on the Western Heights (the North Centre Bastion, the Drop Redoubt, the 'Lost Castle', the Grand Shaft, etc.) was both abandoned and accessible.

We didn't have torches and in order to explore the tunnel systems, like the one in the above photo, we soon learned the only way to do so was to face the fear that was holding us back. For example, you said:

...and always [feels] like someone is behind u !!!!

Well, if we had that feeling we would certainly turn around in panic the same as anyone else - but then we would go on to see where the fear was coming from inside. Facing it in this way brought 'resolution' (so to speak) and we became increasingly less prone to 'over-active imaginations' :)

It's been 2 years since I've been in the tunnels and even now I prefer not to use a torch: I like to completely absorb the ambience of the place without over-stimulating that part of the brain which responds solely to light.

Since spending my childhood exploring these abandoned fortifications, I have, of course, been to many fairgrounds and theme parks and none of the rides or other things I did can remotely approach what places like the North Centre Bastion and Drop Redoubt can offer.

One obvious example why this is so is because, no matter how scary a fairground ride may be, a part of the brain always believes - the occasional accident aside - that it is safe. Anyone who grew up with my generation in Westbury Road, Westbury Crescent, and Clarendon Place will tell you that the tunnels don't do "safe" - perhaps you already know that for yourself :)

do u know how far it goes underground???:)

The above photo was taken in the North Centre Bastion, click here to see a satellite view with all the major tunnels marked on it. Click here to see a similar aerial view of the Drop Redoubt.

John Latter / Jorolat

Part of the Images of Dover website.

I know that there have been no comments on here for years, but I'm really hoping this is still accessed by John Latter because I desperately need to show you a picture from a time that I visited the North Center Bastion. The reason for my visit was just for an adventure with several friends, we have about 7 or 8 photos whilst inside the place itself. We have two photos that really caught my attention. All of the others are completely normal, with no "orbs", nothing mysterious or anything. However, the two photos I have mentioned are unbelievable. One shows a big, bright, yellow light which has come from nowhere, surrounding one of the arches and striking through the doorway. This one to me, however, is not the tip of the iceberg.

The other photo, that I simply cannot come to terms with, is a picture taken from the top of one of the long staircases, looking downwards. Not only is this the ONLY picture that has ANY orbs in it; in particular one very solid one, blue in colour; but at the bottom of those stairs is what scares me most. There is the figure of a little boy, you can even just about see the parting in his hair, with a large white collar (presumably dating back to early 1900s), looking straight up at us. The problem is I no longer have the picture in it's original larger size, however I can still clearly see the little boy in the smaller photo I have. Please, someone, reply to this so I know someone is interested and I can show the photos. Thanks Nikki

nikkigb said:

I know that there have been no comments on here for years, but I'm really hoping this is still accessed by John Latter because I desperately need to show you a picture from a time that I visited the North Center Bastion...

Hi Nikki,

If you click on this Ghosts link, you'll see that there are 4 'ghost' photos altogether.

You have placed your comment on the far right photo, which is the 'enhanced version' of the second from right pic.

Although the photo where you've placed your comment has had only had one comment this year, the main ghost photo has had quite a few more.

I would like to see the two photos you mention: if they're on the internet, then please provide a link; alternatively, you can attach them to an email and send them to jorolat-AT-gmail.com - please remember to replace "-AT-" with "@"

Thank you for your interest and I look forward to seeing your photos :)

John Latter / Jorolat

If you are on Facebook and live in the Dover area then you may be interested in a new group called, "Dover: Ghosts, Orbs and the Paranormal (UK)".

John Latter wrote:

There is a new Facebook group called, "Dover: Ghosts, Orbs and the Paranormal (UK)".

The group is now open to everyone, irrespective of where they live.

There's now a three-part video of the North Centre Bastion available on YouTube:

Part 1: The Smokey, North Centre Bastion, Western Heights, Dover UK

Part 2: The Smokey, North Centre Bastion, Western Heights, Dover UK

Part 3: The Smokey, North Centre Bastion, Western Heights, Dover UK

John Latter / Jorolat

My Facebook | My 'Videos of Dover' YouTube | Evopsychology.com | Dover Blog

The English Heritage Pastscape entry for the North Centre Bastion and Detached Bastion reads (1):

TR 3110 4083 North Centre and Detached Bastions

North Centre Bastion was begun in 1804 during the Napoleonic Wars, as part of the Western Heights fortress in Dover. It remained unfinished at the end of the war in 1815 but was completed to a revised design between 1859 and 1867; this resulted in two linked bastions known as North Centre Bastion and Detached Bastion (2).

Both were surveyed and researched by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England between 1998 and 2001 as part of the Dover Western Heights Survey Project (event UID 1316220 and monument UID 467989). See the archive report and plans for full details: Pattison P The Western Heights, Dover, Kent; Report no 5 North Centre and Detached Bastions.

An English Heritage site and Scheduled Monument; the Detached Baastion is also known as "Dead Man's Island".

Photos of the Detached Bastion are included under the North Centre Bastion tag.

(1) Pastscape: North Centre Bastion

(2) The bastions are linked by the South Caponier (see South Caponier interior; South Caponier exterior).