There was a castle at Dover shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The medieval defences visible today were built in three periods between 1179 and 1256, and over the next 700 years they evolved from an age of sword and crossbow to one of air warfare, always protecting Dover harbour and the road to London. The castle comprised the Great Tower at its centre, surrounded by two concentric walls with high towers and strong gates. In 1216–17, the only weak point, a narrow spur of level ground at the north end, was badly damaged during a bitter siege by a French army, and afterwards the northern defences were redesigned and strengthened. From the 1750s, the medieval walls were altered to form ramparts for cannon, and barracks were built for a large garrison. More changes followed during the war against Napoleon from 1793 to 1815, again in the 1850s, and finally during the First and Second World Wars, each time adapting the defences to the changing nature of warfare. Dover Castle remained an important military centre until 1958.

Photo: Michael Herrick

Photo: Michael Herrick