| Summary : Dover Castle probably originated as a motte and bailey castle, built after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Its unusual outline may be due to the reuse of the ditch and bank of an Iron Age hillfort (see record 468006) as well as parts of the earlier Saxon burgh (see record 467951). Dover Castle was transformed by King Henry II and Maurice 'the ingeniator' supervised much of this work between 1179 and 1188: building the keep, the walls of the inner bailey and parts of the outer curtain wall. When the castle was completed, it was the first in Western Europe to have concentric layers of defence around a central keep. The outer curtain wall was completed and a number of D-shaped towers were built in 1204. The unsuccessful siege of 1216 by Prince Louis, prompted a programme of modernisation, supervised by Hubert de Burgh, from 1217 to 1257. This included the construction of St John's Tower and the main entrance, Constable's Gate. During the 15th century the castle was an administrative centre for the Cinque Ports. However by the 17th century Dover Castle had fallen into ruin. Its small royal garrison was captured at the start of the Civil War and it was used in the 1680s to 1749 to hold French prisoners of war.However, from 1740 its decline was reversed and JP Desmaretz supervised a programme of modernisation. Defences were strengthened and barracks built. The most important changes took place during the Napoleonic Wars, between 1793 and 1815. Lieutenant Colonel William Twiss, oversaw the bomb proofing of the keep, and added gun batteries and outworks. Underground tunnels for communication and accommodation were also dug. From the 1850s the castle was adapted to modern warfare. The castle was rearmed in the 1870s and was used during World War I and World War II. A tunnel system (see record 468096) housed various naval and coastal headquarters and played an important part in coordinating the Dunkirk rescue. |
More information : TR 3248 4194: Dover Castle [NR]. (1)
For full description of Dover Castle, see Ministry of Works Guide Book attached. Scheduled. Dover Castle, as described above, is in excellent condition. Published 1/1250 survey (earthworks) correct. (2-3)
Dover Castle. Grade I. Norman keep circa 1155. Around the keep are ranges of 18th century houses. Surrounding these ranges are 2 concentric rings of walls and towers dating from Medieval times. Beneath the castle are a whole series of subterranean passages dating from the 13th century and improved for defence during the
Napoleonic period. Ancient Monument. (4)
Dover Castle, architectural, historical and archaeological
description. (5-6)
After the Battle of Hastings William the Conqueror built the first castle at Dover. The existing stone-built castle begins in the reign of Henry II (1154-89). Work included the construction of the great keep and the inner curtain wall surrounding it, built between 1181-88. Excavations in the area of the southern barbican revealed the foundations of a gatehouse built in the reign of Henry II but which was quickly demolished and superseded by the inner bailey with its towers and barbicans. Between 1205 and 1214, during the reign of King John (1199-1216), improvements were carried out to the domestic buildings within the inner bailey, a defensive wall was constructed around the church and the outer curtain on the northern side of the castle was added. Between 1217 and 1256 Henry III spent 7500 pounds on improving the castle's defences. A great spur or outwork was dug to the north of a damaged gate at the curtain's northern apex. The spur was remodelled 1801-03 to include a brick redan. St John's Tower, built in the ditch between the redan and the castle in the 13th century, was modified and Fitzwilliam gateway was added on the north east side of the curtain. The outer further west curtain was extended and a new set of buildings for the King and his entourage were constructed. Little building work took place until the Austrian Wars of succession (1742 -48) when the derelict domestic buildings lining the inner bailey were converted into new barracks. In 1756 two new batteries were constructed and in 1779 a large powder magazine was constructed within the castle. During the Napoleonic Wars three bastion's were built to defend the eastern approach to the castle. In 1905 the obsolete Hospital Battery was converted to a fire command post by the Army, and in 1914 the Admiralty moved its Port War Signal Station to new quarters above it. During the Second World War a gun emplacement, a Type 28 pillbox and anti-tank obstacles were added. Dover Castle, schedule number 64. (7)
Medieval castle built on the site of an earlier Norman keep circa 1155. Around the keep are ranges of 18th century houses. Surrounding these ranges are 2 concentric rings of walls and towers dating from Medieval times. Beneath the castle are a whole series of subterranean passages dating from the 13th century and improved for defence during the Napoleonic period. Scheduled. (8)
The present castle is thought to have been constructed on the site of earlier fortifications possibly an Iron Age Hillfort with Anglo-Saxon modifications. The later modifications may have taken the form of a settlement, possibly centred on the Church of St Mary in Castro, defended by banks and ditches. There are documentary references to Dover being site of a pre-1066 castle. If it was on this site it may have adapted these earlier defences. Excavations south of the church in 1961-63 located a 11th century ditch under the 13th century defences.
It is feasible that the existing earthworks of the inner ward and those around the church may have evolved from an early Norman castle with a motte in the `waist' between the two. This would have left a large area enclosed by the Iron Age ramparts ready for later development. Henry II's remodelling of the defences allowed construction in the existing northern ward leaving the existing fortifications until the new work was nearly finished, whilst having additional protection from the prehistoric defences. Little is known of the castle during the reigns of either William II and Henry I.
The castle was remodelled and rebuilt during Henry II's reign, mainly supervised by Maurice `the ingeniator' forming a castle with concentric lines of defences, one of the first examples to be built in Western Europe. During the 1160s and 1170s work was piecemeal additions to existing defences. However, much of the Medieval castle which survives today, was constructed between 1179-88 and included the keep, walls of the inner bailey and the northeast section of the outer curtain, extending north from Avranches Tower. The keep was the last square royal keep to be constructed and measures 29.9 metres by 29.9 metres and 25. 3 metres high, the walls vary from 5.2 metres to 6.4 metres in thickness. There are three storeys which were linked by spiral stairs in the north east and southwest corners. The second floor contained the royal state apartments.
A further programme of modifications and additions took place during Henry III's reign, mainly between 1217-57, with work carried out in 1217-1221 supervised by Hubert de Burgh. Much of the work concentrated on strengthening the defences and included construction of St John's Tower to the north of the castle defences. The tower was linked to the castle by a tunnel, much of which was altered during the 18th century. Accommodation within the castle was also modernised and extended.
Limited work on the castle took place during 15th and 16th century but included modernisation of the main apartments in the late 15th century and the addition of gun batteries in the 16th century. Most of the 17th century was a period of decline for the castle, by 1690 it was in use as a prison to hold prisoners of war. This use continued until the 1740s.
A programme of modernisation started in the 1740s and was carried out by J P Desmaretz and included construction of barracks in 1745 and 1756. The strengthening and remodelling of the defences and construction of additional batteries also took place in 1756.
In a response to the Napoleonic Wars a major programme of modifying the castle and its defences took place, between 1794 and 1805, implemented by Lieutenant Colonel William Twiss. This included instalment of additional gun batteries and four powerful outworks, (Constable's Bastion to the East, Horseshoe Bastion, Hudson's Bastion, and the detached East Arrow Bastion), some of the latter linked to the castle by underground tunnels. Ashford Flank Caponier covered the Eastern ditch. The Spur was strengthened by a massive redan and the ditch behind flanked by brick caponiers. Caponiers were also built at the Constable's Gate and in the newly formed Canon's Gate at the South-West corner of the outer bailey. Alterations to the keep made it bombproof and heavy guns were installed on its roof. By 1810 the keep was in use as a gunpowder magazine. Barracks and a military hospital were also constructed within the castle. However, by 1797 due to severe space limitations excavations were started on underground accommodation. This eventually housed over 2000 soldiers.
In 1853 adaptations were made to the castle to protect it from new explosive shells. Additional barracks were also constructed and the existing ones improved. To protect the castle from higher ground to the north a detached fortress, Fort Burgoyne, was built in 1860.
During World War One searchlights were installed on the keep, the keep was used as an armoury and armourers' workshop and light anti-aircraft guns were placed near the church. Vacant land within the castle was also given over to vegetable gardens due to food shortages.
In the interwar period the castle was used as the headquarters of the 12th Infantry Brigade and the Dover Garrison. Further barracks were constructed during the 1930s.
During World War two anti-aircraft guns were installed at the castle and the underground tunnels were used as a headquarters for the local forces. In 1940, following Dunkirk, the castle was provisioned to withstand a six week siege. Tank traps were installed, slit trenches excavated, new gun positions built and search lights installed.
Following the end of the second World War military activities within the castle were scaled down and by 1958 the last unit stationed here had moved out. (9-17)
Dover castle required constant repair and attention in the reign of Elizabeth I. (18)
Additional source (19)
Additional source detailing Dover Castle's part in World War Two. (20)
An introduction to the defences of Dover, including the role of the castle. (21)
Fragment of 13th century red line masonry wall painting survives on the north wall of the ground floor .
In the Great Hall a small fragment of 14th century painted foliate decoration survives on the west wall. It may have been part of a border used as an upper frieze to a large expanse of masonry pattern, or to frame a series of large narrative scenes.
The large 19th century Officers' Mess retains painted and drawn graffiti dating from around World War II. Most of the images consist of hand-drawn figures, faces and text in pencil. In addition a number of large figures and caricatures have been painted in bridge colours with a dark black outline. (22)
Noted in a gazetteer of Kent's Defences. (23)
Brief summary of the History of Dover castle, with details for visitors current 2009/2010. (24)
Dover Castle probably originated as a motte and bailey castle, built after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Its unusual outline may be due to the reuse of the ditch and bank of an Iron Age hillfort as well as parts of the earlier Saxon burgh. When the castle was completed, it was the first in Western Europe to have concentric layers of defence around a central keep.
The outer curtain wall was completed and a number of D-shaped towers were built in 1204. The unsuccessful siege of 1216 by Prince Louis, prompted a programme of modernisation, supervised by Hubert de Burgh, from 1217 to 1257. This included the construction of St John's Tower and the main entrance, Constable's Gate. During the 15th century the castle was an administrative centre for the Cinque Ports. However by the 17th century Dover Castle had fallen into ruin. Its small royal garrison was captured at the start of the Civil War and it was used in the 1680s to hold French prisoners of war.
However, from 1740 its decline was reversed and JP Desmaretz supervised a programme of modernisation. Defences were strengthened and barracks built. The most important changes took place during the Napoleonic Wars, between 1793 and 1815. Lieutenant Colonel William Twiss, oversaw the bomb proofing of the keep, and added gun batteries and outworks. Underground tunnels for communication and accommodation were also dug.
From the 1850s the castle was adapted to modern warfare. The castle was rearmed in the 1870s and was used during World War I and World War II. A tunnel system (see record 468096) housed various naval and coastal headquarters and played an important part in coordinating the Dunkirk rescue.
See the source for a detailed description of Dover Castle with plans, photographs and guided tours. (25)
A watching brief and trial trenches were dug close to the Admiralty Lookout at Dover Castle. Various walls associated with the 19th century former garrison hospital, and of the hospital battery were found. (26)
Three galley slaves which jumped overboard from Spanish galleys during the Battle of the Goodwin Sands in 1602 (1572890) were made prisoners of war and imprisoned in Dover Castle. (27) |