In Dover, the Romans built this 96-bedroom hotel, now 20 feet below street level but the last word in luxury for any VIP disembarking from Gaul. By the fourth century, however, Rome was in deep trouble, attacked by barbarians and undermined by endless political turmoil. Britannia couldn't remain detached from the fate of the rest of the empire forever. At some point, Dover's significance for Britannia changed from a port of entry to a defensive stronghold. And the "Welcome" mat gave way to the "Keep Out" sign, in the shape of massive walls, built smack through the Grand Hotel's lobby.


在多佛，罗马人修建了座有九十六间卧室的宾馆，这间深埋地下二十英尺却极尽奢华房间，供以来自高卢的贵宾居住.但在公元四世纪时，罗马深陷泥沼，蛮族入侵与国内阴谋策反内外受敌。不列颠尼亚迟早也难免于与帝国一样受敌的命运，某种意义上，多佛之于不列颠尼亚，已不再是入港口，而成为了御敌大本营。从敞开迎宾的大门成为了抵御外敌的城墙，由巨石堆砌而成，横穿宾馆大厅而建。