by Janis / 2 comments - Orginally published:17th July 2018
Garrisoned for over 800 years
Halt! Who goes there? Yes, we’re visiting another incredible castle in Kent. On this occasion, it’s one of English Heritage’s flagship sites, the impressive Dover Castle on the Kentish shoreline.
Dover Castle is a prominent fortress sitting high above Dover town on the magnificent iconic White Cliffs. It is exposed to all the elements Mother Nature can throw at it.
The panoramic views across the North Downs and the Kent coastline are stunning, and on a clear day, you’ll even catch sight of France across the English Channel. If you fancy discovering more, take a peek at our Kent coast road trip itinerary.
Dover Castle has played witness to an untold amount of action through the centuries and has stood the test of time with countless sieges and invasions; its timeline is astonishing.
Why not Pin it for later?
The Romans left a legacy of England’s oldest lighthouse, Dover Castle, as Royals came and went, and clandestine secrets formulated in its underground tunnels during WWII.
There are so many nooks and crannies to discover in Dover Castle, so we entered the battlement armed with our English Heritage cards.
Where is Dover Castle?
How to get to Dover Castle
Dover Castle’s GPS is CT16 1HU or you can find it by using What3words ///orchestra.gains.inspector
- By Train
The nearest mainline station to Dover Castle is Dover Priory, 1 mile walk away uphill; otherwise, the no. 81 bus will take you to the castle.
- By Car
Dover Castle in Kent can be accessed from the M2/A2 or the M20/A20. The castle is very close to Dover Port, which can be extremely busy.
There’s a free car park located on-site.
Commanding Dover Castle
The Normans had arrivedAs soon as you catch sight of Dover Castle looming up from a distance, it’s mighty impressive, even more so when you are face to face with the medieval fortress.
Dover Castle was founded in the 11th century by William the Conqueror soon after he defeated King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. He captured Dover and founded a fortification prior to descending on Westminster Abbey for his coronation to become the first Norman King of England.
The outer walls of Dover Castle
Remains of the Norman defence never survived, and Henry II, in the 1180s, ordered the castle and the Great Tower to be erected.
The grounds of Dover Castle are reasonably extensive, and it’s considered one of the largest castles in England. The main castle fortification opens up before you when you pass through the first stone gate.
Roman lighthouse at Dover Castle
An ancient pharosBefore heading into the main site of Dover Castle, wander up to the ancient Roman lighthouse or Pharos. This Roman lighthouse and its sister lighthouse on the Western Heights in Dover were constructed in the early 2nd century. The pharos within Dover Castle grounds still stands today; however, there are very few remains of the lighthouse on Western Heights.
The Roman Lighthouse
Inside the lighthouse
The lighthouse occupies a high vantage point across the harbour below and would have had fire beacons at the top, which were used as navigation lights for the ships approaching the harbour.
The Roman lighthouse was built on Castle Hill in an octagonal shape and is five levels in height, although it is now hollow on the inside. The pharos was later converted into a bell tower during the Saxon era for the adjacent Church of St Mary-in-Castro
We have a new little book on our shelves that we delve into when we're heading to the coast.
Packed full of historical facts, and broken down into the different counties of England. It tells tales of the history of the shoreline that surrounds our country.
Available in Kindle & Hardback editions, it's an excellent addition to anyone's collection who loves the English seaside.
Church of St Mary-in-Castro
The Garrison ChurchJust next to the Roman pharos, the oldest surviving lighthouse in England is the Anglo-Saxon Church of St Mary-in-Castro, built during the late 10th & early 11th centuries.
The Church of St Mary-in-Castro
Unfortunately, this little Saxon church suffered years of neglect on and off during the 16th & 17th centuries and was used as a coal store in the early 1800s.
Inside St Mary-in-Castro
However, the Victorians came to the rescue during the 19th century, finally restoring it. You must take a look inside at the unusual mosaics on the walls.
This ancient Garrison church continued to hold services throughout the Battle of Britain, which was fought overhead.
Where to stay near Dover Castle
Best Western Premier Dover Marina Hotel & Spa
This 4-star Georgian hotel is located on the seafront in the shadow of Dover Castle. In-house restaurants are available.
Castle House Guest House
It is centrally located between Dover Castle and the town. A full English breakfast is included in the price, and there is free on-street parking.
Exploring Dover Castle
To the castle, you goAs we head along the cobble-stone walkway towards the castle’s ancient gatehouse, we stroll across the old wooden drawbridge and through the archway to the stunning Great Medieval Tower.
An approach to the Castle
After William the Conqueror’s success in the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he ordered the original defences to be put in place at Dover Castle.
Incredibly, from then on, over 800 years ago, Dover Castle was garrisoned until 1958.
The Great Keep
Point to note
Ample free parking & there’s also a free land train to take you around the castle grounds.
Henry II at Dover Castle
The Great TowerFast forward one hundred years, and Henry II was now on the scene, and he had the castle rebuilt as it stands today during 1180-89. The imposing structure of the Great Tower was actually built as a grand palace more than a working fortress. Henry II liked to entertain his distinguished guests in style.
Inside the Great Keep
The medieval Great Tower at Dover Castle stands at around 83ft (25 metres) in height, and the walls are an incredible 21ft (6.5 metres) thick in places.
Grand Halls
The Knights' mess quarters
No expense was spared when Henry II was building Dover Castle, especially on the interior fittings and the lavish furnishings. Master craftsmen were employed to ensure the medieval furnishings were of the highest quality.
If you're intrigued by Kent's weird and wonderful history, or all unusual stories around the county, then take a peek at "Kent's Strangest Tales".
You won't be able to put it down, you can pick it up for your Kindle or in good old paperback.
Refurbishing the Great Tower
Attention to detailEnglish Heritage has done a spectacular job of refurbishing the interior of the medieval Great Tower. The care and attention to detail gives you a genuine understanding of how the monarchs would have lived in Dover Castle both upstairs and downstairs.
The King's bed chamber
As you stroll around the inside of the Great Tower, you’ll wander through many of the magnificent rooms. You’ll wend your way through the grand, colourful bedrooms, including the King’s bed-chamber and the majestic dining hall.
A roaring fire has been lit within the dining hall, and the pleasant aroma of burning wood permeates throughout Dover Castle as you stroll around.
To the well
Bucket and well
However, these majestic royal palaces don’t run on their own, and an army of staff would have been on hand to attend to any of their whims or royal requests.
For entertaining
All your questions answered
Help is at handWhat I particularly like about the English Heritage attractions, is that they always have friendly and extremely knowledgeable people on hand. Dotted throughout Dover Castle are assistants ready to answer any questions you may have; you can truly tell they enjoy their work.
Fire inside the keep
We continue navigating through the Great Tower, branching off into all the little side rooms. One of the rooms we ventured off into was a tiny chapel dedicated to Thomas Becket. We headed down to the basement of the Great Keep and visited the medieval kitchen and scullery, where there is also a well.
The chapel inside the Great Keep
Do you like Castles?
From the rooftop of Dover Castle
You can see for milesAs we wend our way further and further up through the Great Tower, we finally reach the rooftop of Dover Castle. We climb out to explore the top of the fortress and to enjoy the magnificent, far-reaching views across the English Channel.
View over the harbour
From this vantage point at the top of the Great Tower, you can admire the sea views across to France, and also understand the complete arrangement and layout of Dover Castle and its many outbuildings.
Inside the Castle walls
During the 13th century, successive rings of defensive walls were added around the castle to protect itself from overseas invasion. Take a stroll around the Battlement Walk to fully appreciate the expanse of the fortification.
Have you?
Visited any of England’s other castles, there are some fantastic fortresses around the country?
Medieval Tunnels at Dover Castle
Going undergroundDeep underground beneath Dover Castle is a network of Medieval tunnels. You can’t help but venture down into the damp, dark, winding tunnels. The tunnels were burrowed out under the castle during the Great Siege of 1216-17.
Cold medieval tunnels
These tunnels were created to protect the most vulnerable side of the castle from attack in the hope that it was what the enemy least expected. The invasion from France wasn’t successful, and the castle was defended by just a few hundred men.
A cannon in place
Firepower inside the tunnels
The tunnels were so dark in places that as we were wandering through the passageways, we needed a torch to see where we were going. They were astonishing to see.
Escape for a few days
Are you looking for that ‘perfick’ holiday hideaway to relax in while you discover the Garden of England?
After a day exploring the Kent coast and its many historic castles enjoy one of the handpicked properties and unique retreats at Holiday Cottages.
Operation Dynamo at Dover Castle
The beaches of DunkirkThe Secret Wartime Tunnels, which are used in the Dover Castle tunnel tours, were built at the end of the 18th century. The astonishing complex of passageways was excavated deep within the White Cliffs of Dover and was initially used as barracks and storerooms.
Entrance to the WWII tunnels
However, at the start of WWII in 1939, the Napoleonic tunnels were converted into air-raid shelters. Then later, it became military command centre and was even used as an underground hospital.
Useful Tip
The Wartime Tunnel tours fill up quick; arrive early to ensure you get to secure your place. You can’t book; it’s on a first-come, first-served basis.
Operation Dynamo at Dover Castle
The beaches of DunkirkUnfortunately, no photography was allowed in the tunnel tours.
However, it was one of the highlights of the visit. The Operation Dynamo tour takes around 1 hour, and you are led through a network of tunnels.
The story unfolds as to how, in May 1940, Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsey led the evacuation of French and British soldiers from Dunkirk, code-named Operation Dynamo.
The statue to Sir Bertram Ramsey
You are taken through rooms to create an atmosphere that makes you feel like you have been transported back in time.
You wander along the graffiti tunnel, watch videos of how the invasion happened, and you gain an understanding of how close our troops came to being so nearly captured while under massive enemy fire.
It’s fascinating to see the communication rooms, plans and maps that led to the successful evacuation.
Our video of Dover Castle
We have created a little YouTube video of Dover Castle. Why not take a look?
Also, why not subscribe to our YouTube channel and get the latest clips as we post them?
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I loved this post and great photos. I have never visited this castle and yet I live in the South of England. I have recently became a member of the National Trust, would you also recommend the English Heritage membership?
Thank you very much for your kind comments. It’s a beautiful castle and sits high above the White Cliffs, there’s plenty to see, they run Wartime Tunnel tours. We are looking at becoming National Trust members, as there is so much to discover in the southeast.
Yes. I would highly recommend an English Heritage membership if you’re going to visit a few of their historical sites. Battle Abbey is also great to visit, where the Battle of Hastings took place. There’s a post on our website if you want to take a look and also a link to English Heritage.
Where’s your next adventure going to be?