Report - Oil Mills West aka Champagne Caves Dover march 2014

[Wevsky]

Wasn't going to bother with a report as to be fair there may be one from about 4 years ago from me,well it was this mixed with another place..

Anyhow its sunday and im so very bored so here's some pics from a recent less crowded trip

Brief stolen history

This set of tunnels is located just West of the tunnels known as the Oil Mills, in the Limekiln Street area of Dover. It is likely that the tunnels were originally the result of chalk being mined for lime burning in the nearby kilns during the 19th Century. The five roughly parallel tunnels are cut directly into the chalk cliff face with adjoining passages between, and have very high ceilings and evidence of originally having a second floor. The caves were used as a Bonded Store to house goods awaiting payment of customs tax and later as an air raid shelter and temporary fire station during WW2. These tunnels have been known by a number of names over the years, including 'Finnis Hill Caves', 'Champagne Caves' and simply 'Oil Mill Cave'. The area in front of the caves (part of the Pier District) has been greatly modified with the expansion of the harbour, Finnis Hill and Limekiln Street having been demolished. The caves were used by Hammonds to store fruit, until the building of the new road in the 1990s, which left the main entrance below ground level. The only access remains from a second floor doorway

Pictors

And an odd portrait one cos i dont have another to match it up

Nothing new by any means but i was killing time in here so be rude not to grab some more updated pics

 

[paulpowers]

Good stuff, like the lighting squire

 

[REEF]

I want to get back and see this one again. Keep forgetting to bring a ladder

 

[pantomime horse]

nicely done wevs
how high was it in there and what was up top in pic 3

 

[Ojay]

Bit sparse on pics and the last couple look very similar :

 

[Wevsky]

Pic three was a way in of sorts (or loading) i assume as it was on 2 levels so the ceilings are at highest about 30 foot maybe higher in places i reckon,

 

[Wevsky]

Bit sparse on pics and the last couple look very similar :

cheeky fucker ,but yeah 2 are different angles of one main room,all pretty huge in there

 

[georgie]

nice that mate thanks for sharin

 

[obscurity]

nice shots there mate. Was a good trip out that night

 

[Wevsky]

nice shots there mate. Was a good trip out that night

That ojay says there isnt enough and there samey..hmm

 

[the126]

Nice one Wevs, Ive not been in these ones yet