The North Centre and Detached Bastions are located between the Drop Redoubt and the Citadel on the Western Heights.  Their purpose was to assist in defending the northern approaches to Dover, particularly from the Folkestone Road, along which it was envisaged Napoleon and the French Grand Army would attack.

Work on the North Centre Bastion began in 1804 as part of the main Western Heights works, although it was incomplete in 1815 when Napoleon was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.  In 1859 the Royal Commission which called for modification across the Western Heights reviewed the unfinished North Centre Bastion.  Work began on its completion and the construction of the Detached Bastion and its caponier. They were armed throughout the main phase of occupation at the Western Heights, but along with the rest of the fortress, its decline was rapid and at the turn of the century its guns were removed.  The bastions saw very little use after this time, with only local defence use during both World Wars.

The Army relinquished the Western Heights after the Second World War and the North Centre and Detached Bastions have remained empty and unused since.  Despite the surrounding ditches becoming very overgrown, the bastions have been very vandalised.