Photos by John Latter : on the map, in Google Earth (KML)

Access to the Upper Pathway of the Zig Zags from the south is via these steps which are located on the right-hand side of the Laureston Place entrance to the park. During the Summer the bottom of the steps can be shrouded with greenery and may easily be missed.

The Upper Pathway climbs fairly steeply for a short distance at the top of the steps, but then the gradient eases off.

Recent photos of the Zig Zags include:

The Victorian Zig-Zags Park of Old Castle Hill Road

The Burning Bush of Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

Heading South along the Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

North Upper Pathway Entrance, Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

Click on the Zig Zags tag to see all photos of this location.

Standard Info for Zig Zags Park

The Victorian serpentine metalled pathway known as the "Zig Zags" once ran from the top of Laureston Place (as it turns into Victoria Park) up to where Connaught Road meets today's Castle Hill Road at the South Gate of Connaught Park, just across the road from the Constable`s Gateway entrance to Dover Castle.

The Zig Zags pathway was superimposed upon the Old Castle Hill Road in the late 19th Century (see the extract from "Annals of Dover" below), but as a result of the 1987 Hurricane - during which a number of its surrounding trees were uprooted - the area has been re-landscaped and in some places it is difficult to trace the original Zig Zag route.

The Zig Zags was one of the many more-or-less 'abandoned' areas in and around Dover that were requisitioned by my friends and I when we were children. Today, I suppose it ought to be considered to be a small park in its own right.

Extract from the 1916 edition of "Annals of Dover", by John Bavington Jones:

William John Adcock, Mayor in 1885 and 1890, was a native of Nottingham, and a builder. During his first Mayoralty, there being a great many men out of work, this Mayor raised a large public subscription for their relief, and, having obtained the permission of the War Department, he transformed the old Castle Hill Road (which had been superseded by a new road in 1799) into a charming zig-zag walk, ornamented with trees and shrubs, which have since matured, forming a pleasing approach to the South Gate of [Connaught] Park.

John Latter / Jorolat

Dover Blog: The Psychology of a Small Town

This is the Images of Dover website: click on any blue "John Latter" link to access the Entry Page.

An Autumn scene in the Victorian Zig Zags Park of Dover in England. This view was taken looking south about 50 yards from the northern (ie Dover Castle/Connaught Park) entrance.

Between the two trees on the left is the beginning of the Upper Pathway which then overlooks the park for the remaining 250 yards of its length.

Recent photos of the Zig Zags include:

The Victorian Zig-Zags Park of Old Castle Hill Road

The Burning Bush of Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

Heading South along the Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

South Upper Pathway Entrance, Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

Click on the Zig Zags tag to see all photos of this location.

Standard Info for Zig Zags Park

The Victorian serpentine metalled pathway known as the "Zig Zags" once ran from the top of Laureston Place (as it turns into Victoria Park) up to where Connaught Road meets today's Castle Hill Road at the South Gate of Connaught Park, just across the road from the Constable`s Gateway entrance to Dover Castle.

The Zig Zags pathway was superimposed upon the Old Castle Hill Road in the late 19th Century (see the extract from "Annals of Dover" below), but as a result of the 1987 Hurricane - during which a number of its surrounding trees were uprooted - the area has been re-landscaped and in some places it is difficult to trace the original Zig Zag route.

The Zig Zags was one of the many more-or-less 'abandoned' areas in and around Dover that were requisitioned by my friends and I when we were children. Today, I suppose it ought to be considered to be a small park in its own right.

Extract from the 1916 edition of "Annals of Dover", by John Bavington Jones:

William John Adcock, Mayor in 1885 and 1890, was a native of Nottingham, and a builder. During his first Mayoralty, there being a great many men out of work, this Mayor raised a large public subscription for their relief, and, having obtained the permission of the War Department, he transformed the old Castle Hill Road (which had been superseded by a new road in 1799) into a charming zig-zag walk, ornamented with trees and shrubs, which have since matured, forming a pleasing approach to the South Gate of [Connaught] Park.

John Latter / Jorolat

Dover Blog: The Psychology of a Small Town

This is the Images of Dover website: click on any blue "John Latter" link to access the Entry Page.

The bank running across the bottom of the photo is that on the western side of the ornamental lake (known locally as the 'pond').

The upper lawns below the 750 yard-long top promenade are visible between the trees, as is part of a green summer house.

This beautiful autumn scene was taken just after 1.20 pm on the 30th of October, 2009.

Recent photos of Connaught Park include:

The Bird Bath and Park Keeper`s Lodge of Connaught Park

The South Gate Lawn of Connaught Park, Dover, Kent, UK

The Elusive Ent of Connaught Park, Dover, Kent, UK

The Autumn Colours of Connaught Park, Dover, Kent, UK

Click to see all photos of Connaught Park.

Abridged from Connaught Park:

The key to the park was officially handed over on 1 May 1883 and it was open to the public from that day on. Formally opened by the Duke and Duchess of Connaught on 14 July 1884. [nb it says 1883 on the commemorative tree's plaque]

Dover Distrct Council (DDC) have a webpage listing local "Parks and Open Spaces". The entry for Connaught Park reads:

This park is the first park established in Dover dating back to Victorian times.

Set on the hillside below Dover Castle it provides facilities for both recreational and sporting activities.

The open grass slopes provide a pleasant environment for a stroll offering excellent views across the town.

The lower part of the park is set out in a more traditional style with an ornamental lake (above photo) and lawns leading to an aviary.

Within the park there are both grass and hard tennis courts and a play area for children.

The DDC webpage also has entries for Kearsney Abbey and Pencester Gardens.

John Latter / Jorolat

Dover Blog: The Psychology of a Small Town

This is the Images of Dover website: click on any blue "John Latter" link to access the Entry Page.

Muted, yet beautiful autumnal colours with a hint of an approaching Christmas coming in from the left.

The Zig Zags is a narrow strip of land over 300 yards long and this photo was taken about a third of the way downhill from the northern end (ie from where it meets the entrances to Dover Castle and Connaught Park).

The line of the upper pathway (which is not very high at this point) can just about be seen running from left to right behind the tall straight tree near the centre of the photo.

Recent photos of the Zig Zags include:

The Victorian Zig-Zags Park of Old Castle Hill Road

The Burning Bush of Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

North Upper Pathway Entrance, Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

South Upper Pathway Entrance, Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

Click on the Zig Zags tag to see all photos of this location.

Standard Info for Zig Zags Park

The Victorian serpentine metalled pathway known as the "Zig Zags" once ran from the top of Laureston Place (as it turns into Victoria Park) up to where Connaught Road meets today's Castle Hill Road at the South Gate of Connaught Park, just across the road from the Constable`s Gateway entrance to Dover Castle.

The Zig Zags pathway was superimposed upon the Old Castle Hill Road in the late 19th Century (see the extract from "Annals of Dover" below), but as a result of the 1987 Hurricane - during which a number of its surrounding trees were uprooted - the area has been re-landscaped and in some places it is difficult to trace the original Zig Zag route.

The Zig Zags was one of the many more-or-less 'abandoned' areas in and around Dover that were requisitioned by my friends and I when we were children. Today, I suppose it ought to be considered to be a small park in its own right.

Extract from the 1916 edition of "Annals of Dover", by John Bavington Jones:

William John Adcock, Mayor in 1885 and 1890, was a native of Nottingham, and a builder. During his first Mayoralty, there being a great many men out of work, this Mayor raised a large public subscription for their relief, and, having obtained the permission of the War Department, he transformed the old Castle Hill Road (which had been superseded by a new road in 1799) into a charming zig-zag walk, ornamented with trees and shrubs, which have since matured, forming a pleasing approach to the South Gate of [Connaught] Park.

John Latter / Jorolat

Dover Blog: The Psychology of a Small Town

This is the Images of Dover website: click on any blue "John Latter" link to access the Entry Page.

In June of this year (2009) I made a video of the Victorian North Entrance (1) whose opening sequence began with the view shown in the above photograph (taken from near the Drop Redoubt).

At that time, of course, the foliage of all the trees was varying shades of luxuriant green. For me at least, coming back here in November is a visual reminder that the whole natural world changes in Autumn, and not just those few locations I have recently visited or happen to take notice of in passing.

In fact, if someone else had taken this photo, I would have guessed the time of day to be late afternoon, and not just after 1pm!

There are, of course, many items of interest in the photo, but to name just a few:

The street in shadow in the centre lower half of the photo is Castle Street and the pseudo-Elizabethan building on its bottom left-hand side is the old Dovorian Restaurant (now Dickens Corner).

Along the bottom of the photo is the Discovery Centre - I've never noticed the 'grass' on the flat roof areas before, and some of the many structures on the grass look more like bee-hives than ventilation shafts!

Out of view between the Discovery Centre and Dickens Corner is Dover's Market Square (or Market Place)

In the bottom right-hand corner is a white-sided building which used to be the Poppe Inne, but is now the La Romana Restaurant.

Further up on the right-hand side of the photo is a white sqaure lying to the left of the carparks. The roof of this white-sided building is partially obscuring the West Gate of Old St James Church, a memorial to the people of Dover who suffered between 1939 and 1945.

Stretching across the upper half of the photo is the row of large terraced houses of Victoria Park, to the left of which lies the southern entrance to the Zig Zags.

Left of centre on the skyline is the Norman Keep (or Great Tower) of Dover Castle and behind the Keep are three masts of a Second World War early-warning Chain Home radar station.

On the right-hand side of the skyline are the Roman Pharos and Saxon church of St Mary-in-Castro.

(1) The North Entrance is only part of the extensive Napoleonic and Victorian defense system embedded into the Western Heights and the video is in two parts:

Video of the North Entrance, Western Heights, Dover (Part 1)

Video of the North Entrance, Western Heights, Dover (Part 2)

John Latter / Jorolat

Dover Blog: The Psychology of a Small Town

This is the Images of Dover website: click on any blue "John Latter" link to access the Entry Page.

A break in the overhead canopy enabled sunlight from behind to reflect back off of the bush on the other side of the clearing in such a way, that as I looked up, my first impression was of golden leaves that were positively glowing - the photo doesn't do justice to the moment :) (it looks better in a larger size)

Recent photos of the Zig Zags include:

The Victorian Zig-Zags Park of Old Castle Hill Road

Heading South along the Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

North Upper Pathway Entrance, Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

South Upper Pathway Entrance, Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

Click on the Zig Zags tag to see all photos of this location.

Standard Info for Zig Zags Park

The Victorian serpentine metalled pathway known as the "Zig Zags" once ran from the top of Laureston Place (as it turns into Victoria Park) up to where Connaught Road meets today's Castle Hill Road at the South Gate of Connaught Park, just across the road from the Constable`s Gateway entrance to Dover Castle.

The Zig Zags pathway was superimposed upon the Old Castle Hill Road in the late 19th Century (see the extract from "Annals of Dover" below), but as a result of the 1987 Hurricane - during which a number of its surrounding trees were uprooted - the area has been re-landscaped and in some places it is difficult to trace the original Zig Zag route.

The Zig Zags was one of the many more-or-less 'abandoned' areas in and around Dover that were requisitioned by my friends and I when we were children. Today, I suppose it ought to be considered to be a small park in its own right.

Extract from the 1916 edition of "Annals of Dover", by John Bavington Jones:

William John Adcock, Mayor in 1885 and 1890, was a native of Nottingham, and a builder. During his first Mayoralty, there being a great many men out of work, this Mayor raised a large public subscription for their relief, and, having obtained the permission of the War Department, he transformed the old Castle Hill Road (which had been superseded by a new road in 1799) into a charming zig-zag walk, ornamented with trees and shrubs, which have since matured, forming a pleasing approach to the South Gate of [Connaught] Park.

John Latter / Jorolat

Dover Blog: The Psychology of a Small Town

This is the Images of Dover website: click on any blue "John Latter" link to access the Entry Page.

The Autumn Colours of Connaught Park, Dover, Kent, UK.

This view of the southern upper slopes of Connaught Park was taken from the 'curly-wurly' path that meanders down from the South Gate Lawn and ends up just above the Middle Gate Lawn.

And on the left-hand side, another reminder that Christmas is approaching :)

Recent photos of Connaught Park include:

The Ornamental Lake of Connaught Park

The Bird Bath and Park Keeper`s Lodge of Connaught Park

The South Gate Lawn of Connaught Park, Dover, Kent, UK

The Elusive Ent of Connaught Park, Dover, Kent, UK

Click to see all photos of Connaught Park.

Abridged from Connaught Park:

The key to the park was officially handed over on 1 May 1883 and it was open to the public from that day on. Formally opened by the Duke and Duchess of Connaught on 14 July 1884. [nb it says 1883 on the commemorative tree's plaque]

Dover Distrct Council (DDC) have a webpage listing local "Parks and Open Spaces". The entry for Connaught Park reads:

This park is the first park established in Dover dating back to Victorian times.

Set on the hillside below Dover Castle it provides facilities for both recreational and sporting activities.

The open grass slopes provide a pleasant environment for a stroll offering excellent views across the town.

The lower part of the park is set out in a more traditional style with an ornamental lake (above photo) and lawns leading to an aviary.

Within the park there are both grass and hard tennis courts and a play area for children.

The DDC webpage also has entries for Kearsney Abbey and Pencester Gardens.

John Latter / Jorolat

Dover Blog: The Psychology of a Small Town

This is the Images of Dover website: click on any blue "John Latter" link to access the Entry Page.

The Victorian serpentine metalled pathway known as the "Zig Zags" once ran from the top of Laureston Place (as it turns into Victoria Park) up to where Connaught Road meets today's Castle Hill Road at the South Gate of Connaught Park, just across the road from the Constable`s Gateway entrance to Dover Castle.

The Zig Zags pathway was superimposed upon the Old Castle Hill Road in the late 19th Century (see the extract from "Annals of Dover" below), but as a result of the 1987 Hurricane - during which a number of its surrounding trees were uprooted - the area has been re-landscaped and in some places it is difficult to trace the original Zig Zag route.

The photo shows: the Lower Boundary Path on the left; the Upper Boundary Path arcing in from the right, dropping away from where I stood when I took the photo; the darker-green grass (bottom left) along which part of the Zig Zags meandered; the bank below the upper pathway which I think may be post-1987 in terms of its incline.

The Zig Zags was one of the many more-or-less 'abandoned' areas in and around Dover that were requisitioned by my friends and I when we were children. Today, I suppose it ought to be considered to be a small park in its own right.

Recent photos of the Zig Zags include:

The Burning Bush of Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

Heading South along the Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

North Upper Pathway Entrance, Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

South Upper Pathway Entrance, Zig Zags Park, Dover, Kent, UK

Click on the Zig Zags tag to see all photos of this location.

Extract from the 1916 edition of "Annals of Dover", by John Bavington Jones:

William John Adcock, Mayor in 1885 and 1890, was a native of Nottingham, and a builder. During his first Mayoralty, there being a great many men out of work, this Mayor raised a large public subscription for their relief, and, having obtained the permission of the War Department, he transformed the old Castle Hill Road (which had been superseded by a new road in 1799) into a charming zig-zag walk, ornamented with trees and shrubs, which have since matured, forming a pleasing approach to the South Gate of [Connaught] Park.

John Latter / Jorolat

Dover Blog: The Psychology of a Small Town

This is the Images of Dover website: click on any blue "John Latter" link to access the Entry Page.

An Autumn view, taken on the 4th of November, 2009, of the North Entrance Outer Bridge, part of the extensive Napoleonic and Victorian defense system embedded into the Western Heights above the town of Dover in England.

The English Heritage entry for the North Entrance is listed on their Pastscape website and states:

When work began in 1804 on construction of the Western Heights Fortress, a protected entrance through the North Lines (aka 'Moats') was included. Situated between the Drop Redoubt and the North Centre Bastion, it was one of two defended routes into the Fortress, the other being a bridge across the South Lines (TR 34 SW 503) (ie the Archcliffe Gate).

During the middle part of the 19th century, the North Entrance was enlarged and more strongly defended. It remained in use until the 1960s, after which a road was pushed through the North Lines to carry a permanent road, and the Entrance was abandoned, though not destroyed.

Click to see all photos of the North Entrance.

There is also a video of the North Entrance ruins which has been split into two to meet YouTube requirements:

Video of the North Entrance, Western Heights, Dover (Part 1)

Video of the North Entrance, Western Heights, Dover (Part 2)

John Latter / Jorolat

Dover Blog: The Psychology of a Small Town

This is the Images of Dover website: click on any of the blue "John Latter" links to access the Entry Page.

I remember John Durrant, and though I've never been to Ireland, I think he's a very lucky chappie to be living in Bermuda because a friend and I spent 10 days there when we were in the Army.

Of course, visiting a place is a lot different than living there, but even so, I bet he's very happy indded!

A Wet Fish shop sounds about right for Peter's family business - I tried to remember what it was, but it just wouldn't come to mind.

The Britannia building is still there, but its been closed for a couple of years (maybe even longer) and I think its scheduled to be knocked down in a proposed redevelopment plan.

Oh - and I've passed your message on to Kerry :)

John