Digging into the area's past

THE DAYS when some Dover people lived in caves at East Cliff are detailed in an article in - the latest Dover Society newsletter.

Author is Dr Peter Burville, 64, of St. Margaret's Bay who is researching his family history for a book he is call1ng, as a working title, The Burvilles of East Kent.

Dr Burville - his Doctorate is in Economics - has spent years researching the book and has traced the family history back to the 1500s. But it was around 170 years ago that his ancestors were living in a cave (pictured) at East Cliff from where Benjamin Burville eked out a living as a carrier, probably transporting stones from the beach into the town for road maintenance and flint-faced houses.

The article in the newsletter is entitled Some Troglodytes of East Cliff and explains that his ancestors were not the only ones living in caves at East Cliff.

Dr Burville is the archivist of the Old Pharosians' Association (old boys of Dover Grammar School).

The Dover Society Newsletter is published three times a year and is sent out to members.

The latest edition contains more than 20 other subjects.

They include a history of Fort Burgoyrie by Jon Iveson of Dover Museum, a snapshot of what Dover was like before the Norman Conquest by Ivan Green and up-to-date information on what Dover Harbour Board is investing in the port and town by John Gerrard.

Newsletter editor is Merril Lilley of East Cliff.

Terry Sutton