The Grand Shaft
The Grand Shaft
4.5
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The area
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
147 within 3 miles
Attractions
92 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
51 reviews
Excellent
30
Very good
15
Average
3
Poor
2
Terrible
1
SteveL_Canterbury
Canterbury, UK201 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
A really interesting and impressive piece of engineering over 200 years old. The triple helix staircase just shows how clever the architecture of the era was.
The two guides at the shop at the lower entrance were really knowledgeable.
The two guides at the shop at the lower entrance were really knowledgeable.
Written September 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donsafe
Canterbury, UK1,063 contributions
Feb 2020
Unfortunately when we came, the steps were closed so we will have to return. But the walk around the surrounding area was a delight.
Dover gets neglected as a tourist destination as well as by locals. It has far more to offer than people realise. We spent a wonderful day here in February. Really well worth the visit for people of all ages and plenty on offer in the rest of Dover.
Dover gets neglected as a tourist destination as well as by locals. It has far more to offer than people realise. We spent a wonderful day here in February. Really well worth the visit for people of all ages and plenty on offer in the rest of Dover.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
slumberjumper
Folkestone, UK110 contributions
Oct 2014 • Solo
This wonderful feat of engineering consists of basically two staircases one inside the other going up to the Western Heights; the reason why there are two staircases is so the Officers and their Wives can use the Staircase without seeing or meeting the rough and smelly soldiers on the way up or down, can you imagine this happening today, but in those days unless you were an Officer you were just cannon fodder , there are a few ghosts here but most of them were as drunk as a skunk and fell down the stairs. No change in 2014 is there
Written October 18, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cinemajim
Oxted, UK207 contributions
Feb 2017 • Friends
Another part of the Western Hts - the main entrance! a very cleaver construction - 3 spiral saircases straight up to the old parade ground. 3 separate stailcases so that Officers, NCOs and the troops would never meet on the stairs!!!
Written April 17, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gra475
London, UK21 contributions
Oct 2013 • Family
Took the kids to see the grand shaft and was surprised to find lots of reinactment going on with soldiers and others from Napoleonic, WW1 and WW2 times. Parked down at the harbour and went up the shaft to the fort.The Grand shaft is worth a visit on its own, truly unique and great fun racing the kids on different staircases. the soldiers and gun fire really brought the fort to life. The cannon nearly burst my eardrums. The shaft and outside of fort are free but entry to the middle bit of the fort is free for kids and adults £4, which made it a great value day. The shaft and middle part of the fort is only open on special days so worth looking out for.
Written October 21, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Margaret H
Dover, United Kingdom102 contributions
This is an amazing piece of our history. Why is it not open more often? Why does nobody promote it more? It's incredible!
Written November 27, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Darren W
Canterbury46 contributions
May 2016 • Family
Open for only a few days of the year :(
I already knew about this place...and on 'going down' I had to do a 'Double Take'!!!
The race back to the top with someone else on one of the other spirals is definitely 'a bit of a larff'!!
What's wrong with Britain that this amazingly Historic space is not open for Public Access every single second of every single minute of every single day!!
Rant over...Just keep your eyes open for visiting on an 'Open Day' :D
I already knew about this place...and on 'going down' I had to do a 'Double Take'!!!
The race back to the top with someone else on one of the other spirals is definitely 'a bit of a larff'!!
What's wrong with Britain that this amazingly Historic space is not open for Public Access every single second of every single minute of every single day!!
Rant over...Just keep your eyes open for visiting on an 'Open Day' :D
Written June 20, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BobR16
Sheerness, UK78 contributions
May 2015 • Friends
Had driven past this hundreds of times decided to visit it with a few friends and i was well impressed ,a little gem hidden away just for the fun of it i have returned and done all three staircases. In fact i was so impressed it convinced me to join a group helping to keep it open
Written October 4, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Usansay
Kent, UK36 contributions
Sep 2015 • Couples
Visited the Grand Shaft ,on a Heritage open weekend. Although I was aware it existed, I have never seen it before. It is a set of three staircases which start together at the bottom of a cylindrical building go between the two cylinders using separate routes and then end at the top together. The used of the steps changed over time. It said on one of the plackards that they were built so that more soldiers could get from the barracks to the sea at the same time during a time of war. Then at another time The officers and their ladies used one staircase, the sargeants and their wives another and the soldiers and their women a third.
If, like me, you are not fit, the 198 stairs going up gets quite tiring.
The view looking up from the bottom is quite amazing given that it is all done with natural light. It opens out to the cliff top and details of the use of Grand Shaft are written both at the top and at the bottom of the staircase in various languages on display boards.
If, like me, you are not fit, the 198 stairs going up gets quite tiring.
The view looking up from the bottom is quite amazing given that it is all done with natural light. It opens out to the cliff top and details of the use of Grand Shaft are written both at the top and at the bottom of the staircase in various languages on display boards.
Written September 14, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
martin c
Dover, UK6 contributions
Jul 2014 • Friends
One of the most amazing feats of engineering. A triple helix staircase dropping down 120 feet through the chalk to the old wharf's Not to be missed.
Written September 2, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wat zijn de openingsuren aub wij zouden het graag gaan bezoeken op 08/07/2017 kan dat
Written June 26, 2017
We will be in Dover on a mini-bus tour on Aug. 19, 2017. Is this attraction open at that time?
Written April 2, 2017
Showing results 1-4 of 4
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing