Snargate Street Trams
c1920s
Few people that daily pass though Snargate Street
realise that the area was once densely populated with housing and served by at
least six churches. One of these, “Our Lady of Pity and St Martin”, is now
hidden beneath the façade of
.
Construction commenced in the late 1890’s and opened on 29th March 1906 in the
presence of the local gentry and a large congregation. Part of the church was
hewn from the cliff face and was lit by a massive skylight and ‘modern’ electric
lighting. ‘DEO’ and ‘sub invocations beatae Mariae et sancti Martini’ graced the
front elevation.
The church served well through the inter-war years, but finally closed down in
1940. The property was in the hands of the Corry family until it was sold to the
present owner in 1961. Many features still remain, the alter (albeit split over
two floors), the wooden block flooring and the cross over the front entrance
serves as a reminder of its former life.
Information from “Dover’s Catholic Faith” by Robert Mackenzie.
Picture kindly provided by Smye-Rumsby.