TimeRef.com
  • Episodes
    Episode Index
    Key Dates Timelines
    By Category
    This day in history
  • People
    A..Z List of Medieval People
    Kings and Queens of England Kings of Scotland Kings of France Kings of Denmark Emperors of Byzantine Popes and Antipopes Crusader States and their Rulers
    Family Trees
  • Life
    Life in Medieval Times
    Life in a Castle The Feudal System Country Life and Agriculture Life in a Medieval Town Life in a Religious Community
  • Castles
    Castle Index Page Castle Development
    Early Fortifications Motte and Bailey Castles Square Keeps Castles of William the Conqueror Concentric Castles Castles of Edward I
    Castle Siege Tactics Parts of a Castle
    Locations of over 300 Castles UK Castles by County
  • Places
    A..Z list of Medieval Buildings 3D Virtual Reconstructions Maps Photographs
    Abbeys and Monasteries Cathedrals Medieval Architecture
  • 3D/VR
    3D Virtual Reconstructions VR Experiences
    Virtual Motte and Bailey Castle Virtual Norman Keep Virtual Siege Engines
    Bodiam Castle Skenfrith Castle Middleham Castle The White Tower Etal Castle
    Knights Training
  • More
    Test your Knowledge
    Glossary of Terms Scriptorium
    Games Early Access
    Copyright / About TimeRef.com Contact the Author
TimeRef.com
  • Episodes
    Episode Index
    Key Dates Timelines
    By Category
    This day in history
  • People
    A..Z List of Medieval People
    Kings and Queens of England Kings of Scotland Kings of France Kings of Denmark Emperors of Byzantine Popes and Antipopes Crusader States and their Rulers
    Family Trees
  • Life
    Life in Medieval Times
    Life in a Castle The Feudal System Country Life and Agriculture Life in a Medieval Town Life in a Religious Community
  • Castles
    Castle Index Page Castle Development
    Early Fortifications Motte and Bailey Castles Square Keeps Castles of William the Conqueror Concentric Castles Castles of Edward I
    Castle Siege Tactics Parts of a Castle
    Locations of over 300 Castles UK Castles by County
  • Places
    A..Z list of Medieval Buildings 3D Virtual Reconstructions Maps Photographs
    Abbeys and Monasteries Cathedrals Medieval Architecture
  • 3D/VR
    3D Virtual Reconstructions VR Experiences
    Virtual Motte and Bailey Castle Virtual Norman Keep Virtual Siege Engines
    Bodiam Castle Skenfrith Castle Middleham Castle The White Tower Etal Castle
    Knights Training
  • More
    Test your Knowledge
    Glossary of Terms Scriptorium
    Games Early Access
    Copyright / About TimeRef.com Contact the Author
  1. Home
  2. Medieval Places
  3. Dover Castle
Castle
Castle
Please note that the TimeRef website is currently being redesigned.

Dover Castle

Tweet
 County

Kent (13 castles) 

 Categories

Pre Medieval / Stone / Norman Square Keep / Royal castle

 Remains

Excellent remains

 Access

Only open at certain times

 Comments

A Saxon fortification existed here before the Norman Invasion. Henry II built the huge keep. Undoubtedly one of the most important castles in England. Prepare to spend the whole day at the castle as there is plenty to see and do.

 Location51.1273,1.3229 (Google Maps) DirectionsDirections via Google Maps
 County

Kent (13 castles) 

 Categories

Pre Medieval / Stone / Norman Square Keep / Royal castle

 Remains

Excellent remains

 Access

Only open at certain times

 Comments

A Saxon fortification existed here before the Norman Invasion. Henry II built the huge keep. Undoubtedly one of the most important castles in England. Prepare to spend the whole day at the castle as there is plenty to see and do.

 Location
51.1273,1.3229
 Directions
Directions via Google Maps
over Castle is situated at the shortest sea crossing of English Channel. This has made it one of the most important defensive sites in Britain. The site dates back to the Iron Age and has a Roman lighthouse and an Anglo-Saxon church. As soon as William the Conqueror landed in England he made sure that he had control of the castle at Dover. Henry II added much of the defences now visible at the site including the keep which was built between 1170 and 1180. The keep which still stands is surrounded by a double ring of walls and consists of three floors and walls that vary between 17 and 21 feet thick. Several small rooms are built into the thickness of the walls. The keep has three staircase, one in the forebuilding and the other two in opposite corners.

In 1216 Dover Castle was besieged by Prince Louis of France. King John left Hubert de Burgh in charge at Dover and even though the French managed to breach the defences by undermining the north gate, de Burgh's forces beat back the attack and Prince Louis called a truce. The truce was short lived as John died soon after and Louis again attempted to take the castle. Louis was eventually defeated by Hubert de Burgh.

Hubert de Burgh with Henry III's backing rebuilt the damaged castle removing areas of weakness that had been exposed during the siege. This included the construction of an inner wall around the keep.

Of interest now are the newly opened 'Secret War Tunnels' that were dug into the white cliffs of Dover and used during World War II as a hospital and for strategic planning. Recently English Heritage has decorated the inside of the keep to show how it may have looked in medieval times.

Location

See Also

People

  • Henry (II, King of England 1154-1189)
  • William (I, the Conqueror, King of England 1066-1087)
  • Henry (III, King of England 1216-1272)
  • Burgh, Hubert de (Earl of Kent)
  • John (King of England 1199-1216)
  • A .. Z List of Medieval People

Places

  • Rye Castle
  • A .. Z List of Medieval Buildings

Related Information

  • Why build and live in castles
  • Castle development timeline
  • Keep and bailey castles
  • Castles of William the Conqueror
  • Motte and bailey castles
  • Shell-Keeps
  • Square keeps
  • Polygonal Keeps
  • Castles of Edward I
  • Parts of a castle
  • Location of lots of castles
  • Castle construction timeline

Related Maps

  • Map of Castles

Related Episodes

The First Barons' War (click here)

The First Barons' War (click here)

Location Map (click to explore)

Dover Castle Floor Details

The keep at Dover Castle is shaped almost like a cube. It is approximately 98 ft by 96 ft and 95 ft high. The turrets are an extra 12 ft higher. Openings in the walls of the gallery allow extra to light into the main hall.

The upper floor of the keep consists of a gallery [(1)] that runs around the top of the main halls. A break in the gallery forms a couple of rooms [(2)] containing toilets. Doors lead of the gallery onto the roof of the forebuilding [(3)].

This plan shows the main floor of the keep. The stairs in the forebuilding end at this level in the area indicated by [(4)]. The main chapel is located on this floor and consists of two rooms in the forebuilding. The keep has two main halls divided by a centre wall [(5)]. Main state rooms surround the two halls that would have been used as living and sleeping quarters for the most important owners and guests. Access to the rest of the castle is via two spiral staircases in the north and south corners of the building [(6)].

Stairs lead through the forebuilding [(7)] turning in front of the lower chapel and heading up to the second floor. Rooms on the rest of this floor can only be reached via the spiral staircases in the corners of the building.

The ground floor has a plinth (not shown on the diagram) to prevent battering rams damaging the walls. There is no entrance to the castle on the ground floor. The entrance to the castle is through the forebuilding on the first floor. The ground floor of the keep would have been used for storage of supplies.

Compare these plans to those of Orford Castle

Timeline

1168

(to 1188)

Reconstruction of Dover Castle

Henry II ordered the reconstruction of Dover Castle. The work would continue for twenty years and at the end of it, a brand new keep had been built, along with the outer walls of the inner bailey and sections of the outer wall.

1189

December

King Richard sails from Dover

Richard set sail with his crusading army from Dover Castle at the end of the year. To ensure he had the allegiance of his younger brother John, Richard had bestowed upon him the title count of Mortain and had approved John's marriage to their cousin Isabelle. But Richard did not nominate John as his heir.  ¹

1191

September

Geoffrey Plantagenet lands at Dover

Geoffrey, the illegitimate son of Henry II and half-brother to Richard and John landed secretly at Dover. He had been consecrated as the new archbishop of York while in Tours and his return was banned by William Longchamp. Several days after he arrived he was arrested. Citing the Winchester treaty, John sought another meeting between himself and Longchamp. This was agreed and the two were to meet at Loddon bridge near Reading. Geoffrey was freed, but Longchamp decided to flee and headed to Dover Castle.

1203

September 26

Dover Castle handed to William of Huntingfield

With events going badly in France for King John, the threat of invasion was a real possibility. To help prevent that John ordered Dover Castle to be handed over to William of Huntingfield who should defend it against attack. To ensure he did so, William's son and daughter were taken hostage and were not to be released until the castle was safely returned in person to the King or Hubert de Burgh. ¹

1216

June (to October)

Prince Louis advances across England

Prince Louis advanced on Winchester and captured the city and its castle. Elsewhere, Windsor Castle and Dover Castle were besieged by the rebel barons. Both castles were defended and held out against the sieges. King John used Corfe Castle in the south-west as his base of operations while he planned his campaign against the rebel barons and Prince Louis.

1409

...

Prince Henry Constable of Dover

Prince Henry was given the title of Constable of Dover. ¹

1432

February 9

Henry VI returns home

King Henry VI landed at Dover. ¹

1493

...

Henry becomes Constable of Dover Castle

Prince Henry, the future King of England, received his first official title before he was 2 years old. It was the Constable of Dover Castle.

1557

July 7

Philip leaves England

With the help of Mary, Philip now had extra support for his war with France and he departed England from Dover. This would be the last time they would see each other.

1642

August 21

Dover Castle captured

Parliamentarian forces attacked any Royalist strongholds they could find in Kent including the castle at Dover. The castle was captured and was placed under the control of Parliament. ¹

Click image to explore a 3D map

On a tablet device? Click here for mobile version.

3D Virtual Reconstructions

Transport yourself back up to a thousand years and explore historical buildings as they may have appeared in the past. Built using the popular game development tool Unity 3D, these reconstructions will run in the most of the popular web browsers on your desktop or laptop computer.

Medieval people

Uncover the lives of the hundreds of kings, queens, lords, ladies, barons, earls, archbishops and rebels who made the medieval people an exciting period of history to live through.

Selection of references used:

  • 1. Geoffrey Hindley, The Book of Magna carta
  • 2. Clarence Ellis, Hubert de Burgh, 1952
  • 3. The Rev. A. J. Church, Henry the Fifth
  • 4. John Mescal, Obl.O.S.B., M.A., LL.B., F.R.S.A, Henry VI
  • 5. S.R. Gardiner, History of the Civil War - Volume One, 1991, ISBN:0-9000075-10-4

    Location

    See Also

    People

    • Henry (II, King of England 1154-1189)
    • William (I, the Conqueror, King of England 1066-1087)
    • Henry (III, King of England 1216-1272)
    • Burgh, Hubert de (Earl of Kent)
    • John (King of England 1199-1216)
    • A .. Z List of Medieval People

    Places

    • Rye Castle
    • A .. Z List of Medieval Buildings

    Related Information

    • Why build and live in castles
    • Castle development timeline
    • Keep and bailey castles
    • Castles of William the Conqueror
    • Motte and bailey castles
    • Shell-Keeps
    • Square keeps
    • Polygonal Keeps
    • Castles of Edward I
    • Parts of a castle
    • Location of lots of castles
    • Castle construction timeline

    Related Maps

    • Map of Castles
    3D/VR

    Virtual Buildings

    Transport yourself back up to a thousand years and explore historical buildings as they may have appeared in the past.

    Explore the White Tower

    Explore all four floors of the White Tower at the Tower of London using the Unity 3d game engine.

    ^ Back to top

            x-small

            small

            medium

            large

            x-large

            x-x-large

            This popup will contain more information
            This popup will contain more information
            xyz
            xyz