Plotting Room Experience Timed Tours Jan/Feb 2027
Join us for a guided tour of a time capsule from WWII. The Fan Bay Plotting Room was the 'brain' behind the Fan Bay gun battery, part of Britain's defences. Abandoned during the 1960s and covered with over 1m of soil, it was rediscovered in 2017.
- Booking essential
The Fan Bay plotting room provided aiming information for the three Fan Bay 6-inch guns. Target data was relayed from the Fortress Command at South Foreland and was processed into precise direction and elevation settings for the guns using various precision instruments and an electromechanical computer.
Abandoned and buried for over 50 years, the plotting room was spared the ravages of the elements and vandalism; the entrances lay completely hidden - buried beneath over 1 metre of soil. The plotting room's rediscovery in late 2017 is a tribute to the tenacity and hard work of the volunteers, and it is presented much as it was found.
Join us for a guided tour of the plotting room and find out what it did and how it worked. You'll put on your hard hat and head torch and descend the 18 steps of the main access shaft, much as the soldiers did 80 years ago. Make your way past the Battery Command Post, through the heavy steel security doors and enter the main plotting room. Be amazed by the stencilled notices still on the wall, and even the attempts to make the stark bunker feel more like home!
Your friendly guide will tell you the story of the plotting room, from its construction to its rediscovery, and there'll be plenty of opportunities to ask questions.
We recommend a minimum age of 8 years for children.
A non-member car parking ticket is required if a membership card or parking pass cannot be produced.
Times
Prices
| Ticket type | Ticket category |
|---|---|
| All Individual member/non-member adult/child | £10.00 |
| Ticket type | Ticket category |
|---|---|
| Non-member car park (per vehicle) | £6.00 |
The basics
- Booking number
Call 03442491895
- Accessibility
There is no parking close to the plotting room. The 900-metre walk to the plotting room is via grass paths/roads. Access to the plotting room is via a hatch and the vertical main access shaft, with a step-over and a steep staircase of 18 steps with one landing. If you have restricted mobility or require an assistance dog, please telephone the property office for advice before booking.
- Meeting point
Meet at the White Cliffs additional parking area - entrance opposite Sherley's Farm - CT15 6HY, www.what3words.com/fidelity.book.approve. Your parking ticket is also valid at the White Cliffs car park
- Suitability for children
Supervised children are welcome.
- What to bring and wear
The visits are during Autumn and Winter, and the site is exposed, so please dress appropriately. We strongly recommend wearing trousers due to the nature of entry/exit from the structure.
- Other
Please be at the car park, ready to walk to the plotting room at the time on your ticket. Tours will go ahead in wet/cold weather. In the event of an amber weather warning in the area, the site will close, and a refund will be issued. Please check the website and Facebook for information before setting out. All visitors, including children, must be able to negotiate the steep staircase (similar to a ship's ladder with handrails) unaided. This is the only entrance to the plotting room. No babes in arms or carriers, please. When in the plotting room, it is an enclosed area, although it is spacious with adequate headroom The plotting room is unsuitable for dogs due to the steep ladder. If you have an assistance dog, please telephone for advice. The nearest toilets and refreshments are at the White Cliffs of Dover visitor centre, a 30-minute walk or a 10-minute drive away. The car park closes for entry at 2 pm and is locked at 3.30 pm. If you wish to stay longer, please transfer your car to the main car park. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/whitecliffs; www.facebook.com/whitecliffsofdover
Upcoming events
Autumn Vintage Book Fair
Why not travel back in time with an old book? Come and browse our large collection of vintage books. They make wonderful gifts, and are there for you to buy at a fraction of their online price.
Plotting Room Experience Timed Tours Nov/Dec 26
Join us for a guided tour of a time capsule from WWII. The Fan Bay Plotting Room was the 'brain' behind the Fan Bay gun battery, part of Britain's defences. Abandoned during the 1960s and covered with over 1m of soil, it was rediscovered in 2017.
Volunteer Recruitment Mornings - Fan Bay and South Foreland Lighthouse
Looking for something different to do? We’d love to see you at one of our Volunteer Open Mornings. Drop in, meet the friendly staff and volunteers, and hear about how you could help us at Fan Bay and South Foreland Lighthouse.