North and South Foreland
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The North Foreland and South Foreland are two chalk headlands on the Kent coast of southern England. The North Foreland forms the eastern end of the Isle of Thanet, and the South Foreland is 5 km (3 miles) northeast of Dover, overlooking the Strait of Dover. Each presents a bold cliff to the sea, and commands beautiful views over the southern North Sea the strait respectively. On the North Foreland () there is the North Foreland lighthouse (still operating, though automated and unmanned), and on the South Foreland () there are two (one which went out of service in 1910 and the other, the upper light, now a National Trust property, which went out of service in 1988).
The South Foreland is the geological counterpart of Cap Blanc Nez, at the northern extremity of the Boulonnais in the French département of Pas-de-Calais. The two are the respective landward ends of the Strait of Dover land bridge and their chalk geological stratum dictates the route of the Channel Tunnel.
[edit] War
Two naval battles of the Anglo-Dutch Wars are called the Battle of the North Foreland after the cape:
- The Battle of the Gabbard, June 12 to June 14, 1653, in the First Anglo-Dutch War.
- The St. James's Day Battle, August 4 to August 5, 1666, in the Second Anglo-Dutch War.
During the Second World War South Foreland carried a Chain Home radar station which saw much activity. There was also a low level Chain Home station near North Foreland, at Foreness.
