The Western Heights of Dover are part of a long ridge of 125m (410 feet) that extends towards Dover. The Heights dominate the port and town of Dover. The fortifications are all concentrated on the north eastern end of the ridge with earlier works dating back to the 18th Century.
The fortifications had a dual role, coastal and land defence. The northern (land) face has a continuous defence line, while the southern face is more broken up with sections of cliff.