Projects › Dover Castle
Design, supply and erect a scaffold to provide access for PAYE to carry out major conservation work for English Heritage at Dover Castle, ensuring its survival for future generations.
Preserving history
PAYE’s restoration work involves using power cradles and rope access, as well as scaffolding, to remove vegetation and carry out stabilisation works to the castle walls. The first phase of repairs has been completed on Constable’s Tower, St John’s Tower, Norfolk Tower, the East Curtain Wall and medieval tunnels, as well as a programme of brick repairs, cleaning and window redecoration to the castle casemates. Traditional methods are being used to mix the mortar, in the same way as would have been done hundreds of years ago.
An iconic English medieval fortress
Having worked on many heritage buildings and monuments in our history, Dover Castle is possibly the oldest. Situated on the White Cliffs of Dover, the Grade I listed medieval fortress was constructed in the 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a probable Iron Age fort. After 1180, the site castle was redeveloped by Henry II to create a fortified palace, close to the English Channel and Canterbury Cathedral.
The huge fortress has been referred to as the ‘key to England’ due to its defensive role throughout British history. As well as being the site of many sieges, it played a crucial role during the Second World War in the efforts to evacuate allied troops from Dunkirk and the underground tunnels were used as a nuclear bunker during the Cold War. Today, it is a site of great historical significance, attracting over 300,000 visitors a year.
Considerate scaffold design
Due to the age and protected status of the Grade-I-listed building, it is essential that extra care is taken to prevent unnecessary damage. With this in mind, Coventry’s highly skilled team of scaffolders used buttresses to lessen any loading weight placed on the existing structure and bespoke protective padding in between tubes butting up against the castle walls.
