White Cliffs of Dover | |
|---|---|
 Viewed from the Strait of Dover | |
  White Cliffs of Dover Location in Kent | |
| Coordinates: 51°06′28″N 1°16′43″E / 51.10778°N 1.27861°E | |
| Grid position | TR326419 |
| Location | Kent, England |
The White Cliffs of Dover are the region of English coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France. The cliff face, which reaches a height of 350 feet (110 m), owes its striking appearance to its composition of chalk accented by streaks of black flint, deposited during the Late Cretaceous. The cliffs, on both sides of the town of Dover in Kent, stretch for eight miles (13 km). The White Cliffs of Dover form part of the North Downs. A section of coastline encompassing the cliffs was purchased by the National Trust in 2016.[1]
The cliffs are part of the Dover to Kingsdown Cliffs Site of Special Scientific Interest[2] and Special Area of Conservation.[3] The point where Great Britain is closest to continental Europe, on a clear day the cliffs are visible from France, approximately 20 miles (32 km) away. A celebrated UK landmark, the cliffs have featured on commemorative postage stamps issued by the Royal Mail, including in their British coastline series in 2002 and UK A-Z series in 2012.[4][5]
- ^ "White cliffs of Dover to be bought by National Trust". BBC News. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Dover to Kingsdown Cliffs". Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Natural England. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
- ^ "Designated Sites View: Dover to Kingsdown Cliffs". Special Area of Conservation. Natural England. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- ^ "UK landmarks featured on new collection of stamps". ITV. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ "Royal Mail unveils new 1st class stamps". Yahoo. Retrieved 24 September 2022.