An actor from the Sharpe series will be a guest at the Western Heights Preservation Society’s Drop Redoubt open weekend on Saturday and Sunday.

Running from 10am to 5pm each day, it includes the opening of the fort and Grand Shaft staircase.

The focus this year is on the Battle of Waterloo, which was fought 200 years ago next month. There will be a display of drills and a period camp and a cannon will fire from the fort.

On Sunday afternoon there will be reenactment of a Napoleonic battle with a marauding gang of French soldiers who somehow made it to Dover.

Jason Salkey, who played Rifleman Harris in ITV’s Sharpe series, will be there both days and is happy to sign autographs and tell stories about his experience in filming.

There will also be a Doctor Gore on site to dress people up with wounds and injuries.

Art will also play a part in the open weekend.

A scheme called Codename, started by Dover Arts Development (DAD), has been working to encourage visitors to the weekend.

Artist John Dargan will produce new art work for WHPS and will be manning a stall that weekend.

It will offer family-friendly activities including drawing out a design and making it into a stamp so it can be printed. Mr Dargan said: “This could be an exciting way of creating a memorable souvenir of a visit to an amazing place.”

There will also be images of the First World War on display.

Spokesman for WHPS, Phil Eyden, said: “We are pleased to once again be working with DAD to show off the superb backdrop that the Western Heights offers for a variety of arts and this is just another example of what this monument could contribute to Dover.”

'We are pleased to once again be working with DAD to show off the superb backdrop that the Western Heights offers' - Phil Eyden

Tony Rouse will be displaying some insects and Greg Esson of the South East Kent Astronomical Society will bring along his telescopes to show images of the planets and constellations from the Grand Shaft Barracks site.

It costs £5 for adults with accompanied children free. Refreshments will be available.

There is parking on the Sports Field on Citadel Road.

Funds raised will be put towards preserving the fort.