From the Dover Express and East Kent News, Friday, 26 December 1941.

THE SNARGATE STREET CAVES

Here is another jotting as to the much discussed origin of the caves know known as "Barwick's" and the "Masonic," in Snargate Street. These names have, of course only been applied during the last quarter of a century. Earlier they were known as Court's  Caves, because they belonged to the once well known firm of wine merchants, Messrs. Court and Co. A plan of these caves having been used by this firm was printed in an "Official Illustrated Guide to the South-Eastern Railway," issued in 1863. As to the earlier use and origin of these caves, there is a passage in "Ireland's History of Kent" (dated 1829), which throws some light. It is as follows:- "We are informed by Mr. Batchellor that Mr. Hight, in constructing the wine vaults for Mr. Worthington, in Snargate Street, when excavating the ground for a bonded vault, at about ten feet from their entrance discovered in the fissures of the rock the beach that had been washed in by the force of the waves; and, at a few feet farther from the entrance, masses of beach were clearly discernible; affording convincing proof that the sea formerly washed against the base of the cliffs in question."

The Mr. Worthington referred to would, no doubt have been one of the proprietors, Messrs. B. and H. Worthington, of the "Ship" Hotel, which stood on the site of Messrs. Bradley's stores, next to the old Southern Railway Marine Office, adjacent to Northumberland House. In 1837, Mr. H. Worthington had premises in Snargate Street, described as the "Eagle and Express Coach Office." At present we cannot find a clue as to the date when the Mr. Hight referred to by Mr. Batchellor constructed the above mantioned wine vaults in Snargate Street, but we find that in 1837 there was still a Mr. F. Hight, builder, living at 7, St. Jamess' Terrace, Dover. At this date, and earlier still, Mr. R. S. Court was in business as a wine merchant in Snargate Street, and it is, therefore, probably that the vaults constructed for Mr. Worthington may have been an addition to a network of caves already in use by Mr. Court.

The important point is emphasised by Ireland, namely, that the sea had washed up with such force against the base of the cliffs as to force shingle into deep fissures. In such a way caves would in time have been worn out by the action of the waves. Subsequently, when the portion of Snargate Street was reclaimed from the sea, such natural caves would have been enlarged and utilised for storage by the inhabitants at varying times between now and the 15th century, when the reclamation of this part of Snargate Street is believed to have been commenced.