Dover Castle, in Kent, stands on top of the famous White Cliffs facing France, at the point where the Channel is narrowest. Because of its position it has been called "the key to England": for almost a thousand years it has guarded the gateway to the country. The site includes a Roman lighthouse, a Saxon church, a great medieval tower and a network of tunnels dug into the chalk from which, in 1940, the evacuation of Dunkirk was directed. It is one of the largest castles in England and is cared for by English Heritage.
History
Even before the Romans there was an Iron Age hillfort here. The Romans built a lighthouse, still one of the tallest surviving Roman buildings in Britain, and the Saxons added the church of St Mary in Castro beside it. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror immediately fortified the site. But it was Henry II, in the 1180s, who built the great tower and the concentric walls we see today.
In 1216 Prince Louis of France, invited by the barons rebelling against King John, besieged the castle for months without taking it. Over the following centuries the defences were constantly updated, and during the Napoleonic Wars tunnels were dug to house thousands of soldiers. In the Second World War, from these tunnels Vice-Admiral Bertram Ramsay coordinated Operation Dynamo, which in May and June 1940 brought more than 330,000 soldiers back to England from the beaches of Dunkirk.
- 1st century ADThe Romans build the lighthouse
- 1066William the Conqueror fortifies the hill
- c. 1180Henry II builds the great tower
- 1216Prince Louis of France besieges the castle
- 1803The tunnels are enlarged for the Napoleonic Wars
- 1940The Dunkirk evacuation is directed from the tunnels
What to see
The Great Tower
Henry II's Great Tower has been refurnished as it would have looked in the king's day, with furnished and painted rooms, colourful textiles, laid tables and figures that tell the story of court life. From the roof there is an immense view over the harbour, the Channel and, on clear days, the French coast.
The Secret Wartime Tunnels
The Secret Wartime Tunnels are the most moving part of the visit. On a guided route, with sound, film and projections, you relive Operation Dynamo in the rooms where the officers worked. Another route shows the underground hospital, with reconstructed operating theatres and wards.
The Roman lighthouse and the church
Beside the Saxon church of St Mary in Castro, restored in Victorian times, rises the Roman lighthouse, about 19 metres high: two thousand years ago a flame guided ships crossing the strait.
The walls and medieval tunnels
A walk along the walls takes you past towers, gates and the tunnels dug during the siege of 1216, when the defenders drove back the French miners by fighting underground.
Practical information
The castle is open all year round, with shorter hours in winter; booking online is advisable. The site is large and hilly, so allow at least half a day and wear comfortable shoes. Opening times and prices are on the English Heritage website.
Getting there
- By train: from London St Pancras on the high-speed train to Dover Priory in about an hour, then a 20-minute uphill walk or a bus.
- By car: along the A2 or the M20; parking inside the castle.
- By air: Gatwick Airport is about an hour and a half away.
Nearby
- The White Cliffs of Dover, with the National Trust coastal path and South Foreland lighthouse.
- Canterbury and its cathedral, half an hour away.
- Leeds Castle and other Kent sights; see also day trips from London.
Tips
- How long: at least half a day, ideally four or five hours.
- When to go: all year round; on clear days you can see France.
- A tip: start with the Secret Wartime Tunnels, where queues build up during the day, and save the tower for later.