Dover

Dover (pop. 32,800), seaport in Kent, England. It is situated on the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel. The first settlement on the site was the Roman town of Dubris. The Saxons built fortifications on the cliffs above the town, later replaced by the Norman castle that stands on the chalk cliffs. In the Middle Ages, Dover became one of the privileged Cinque Ports, a group of channel ports given seafaring power in return for their contribution to England's sea defense. The main center for the evacuation from Dunkirk during World War II, it was heavily damaged by bombardment.

See also: England.