Dover Castle

In the civil parish of Dover. In the historic county of Kent (Modern Authority of Kent, 1974 county of Kent).

The existing stone-built castle begins in the reign of Henry II (1154-89). On a site fortified by William I and possibly a stronghold since Roman times. 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 superseeded 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.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 177823; 177824; 177825; 177826; 177827; 469564; 469565; 469566)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TR32484194

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 467778
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is TR 34 SW 5 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/dover/dover.php
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/179/dovercastle.htm
    http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server.php?show=nav.14571
    http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/castles/page12.html
    http://www.itraveluk.co.uk/content/213.html
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/dover.html
• Books
  • Humphrys, J., 2007, Enemies at the gate: English castles under siege from the 12th century to the Civil War (Swindon; English Heritage) [1217 siege]
    Salter, Mike, 2000, The Castles of Kent (Malvern) p30-9
    Coed, Jonathan, 1995, Dover Castle (London: Batsford)
    Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p116-20 [plan]
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p58, 59, 129, 135, 136, 137, 153, 172, 191, 356
    Drage, C., 1987, 'Urban castles' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p117-32
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p230
    Colvin, H.M., Ransome, D.R. and Summerson, John, 1982, The history of the King's Works Vol4: 1485-1660 (part 2) (London) p
    Taylor, A.J., 1981, ‘Stephen de Pencestre’s account as constable of Dover Castle for the years Michaelmas 1272-Michaelmas 1274' in A Detsicas (ed), Collectanea Historica: Essays in Memory of Stuart Rigold (Kent Archaeological Society) p114-22 [also in Taylor, A.J., 1986, Studies in castles and castle-building (London: Hambledon Press) p248–56]
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p220-2
    Guy, John, 1980, Kent Castles (Meresborough Books)
    Smithers, David Waldron, 1980, Castles in Kent (Chatham)
    Colvin, H.M., Ransome, D.R. and Summerson, John, 1975, The history of the King's Works Vol3: 1485-1660 (part 1) (London) p
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol1: the Middle Ages (London) p73-5, 117 [plan in separate volume]
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p629-41
    Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (Heinemann) p98-102, 148-50
    Toy, Sidney, 1939, Castles: A short History of Fortifications from 1600 BC to AD 1600 (London) p79-80
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p138-44
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co)
    Chalkley Gould and Downham, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Kent Vol1 p413-15
    Sands, Harold, 1907, 'Some Kentish Castles' in Ditchfield and Clinch, Memorials of Old Kent (London) p10-16
    Statham, S.P.H., 1899, The History of the Castle, Town and Port of Dover (London) p247-97 and further notes
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol1 p14-21
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval Military Architecture in England  (Wyman and Sons) Vol2 p4-24
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol1 (London) p323-6
    Lyon, John, 1813-14, The History of the Town and Port of Dover and Dover Castle (Dover and London) Vol2 p47-191
    Darell, William, 1786, The History of Dover Castle (London)
    King, Edward, 1782, Observations on Antient Castles (London) p31-4
    Hasted, Edward, 1800 (2edn), A History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent Vol9 p475- http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63592
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1 p126-8
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol3 p35-43
• Journal Articles
  • Impey, E., 2009, 'The Dover Castle great tower project' Conservation Bulletin Vol60 p33-35
    Keay, A., 2008, 'Dover Castle' Conservation Bulletin Vol58 p38
    Snow, D., 2005, 'King of castles' Heritage Today Vol71 p20-25
    Goodall, J.A.A., 2000, 'Dover Castle and the Great Siege of 1216' Château Gaillard Vol19 p91-102 http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/articles/goodall.htm
    Booth, Kevin and Robert, Paul, 2000, 'Recording the keep, Dover Castle' Château Gaillard Vol19 p21-3
    Goodall, J.A.A., 1999, 'Dover Castle' Country Life p44-7, 110-3
    Parfitt, K., 1995, 'A lost earthwork near Dover Castle' Kent Archaeological Review Vol121 p10-11
    Harfield, C.G., 1991, 'A Hand-list of Castles Recorded in the Domesday Book' English Historical Review Vol106 p371-392 http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28199104%29106%3A419%3C371%3AAHOCRI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Q
    Gillespie, James L., 1988, 'Dover Castle: Key to Richard II's Kingdom?' Archaeologia Cantiana,Vol105 p179-196
    Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' Archaeological Journal Vol143 p312
    Binney, M., 1984, ‘Dover Castle, Kent — II' Country Life Vol175 p18–212
    Hull, F., 1982, 'The Domesday of Dover Castle - An archival History' Archaeologia Cantiana,Vol98 p67-76
    Coad, J.G., and Lewis, P.N., 1982, 'The later fortifications of Dover' Post-Medieval Archaeology Vol16 p141-208
    Kenyon, J.R., 1981 'Early Artillery Fortifications in England and Wales: a Preliminary Survey and Re-appraisal' Archaeological Journal Vol138 p208-9
    Hodgson, N., 1978, ‘An introduction to the defences of Dover' Fort Vol6 p38-60
    Brown, R.A., 1970, 'Dover Castle' Archaeological Journal Vol126 p205-13, 262-5
    Renn, D.F., 1969, 'The Avranches Traverse at Dover Castle' Archaeologia Cantiana,Vol84 p79-82
    Cook, A.M., Mynard, D.C. and Rigold, S.E., 1969, 'Excavations at Dover Castle, principally in the inner bailey' Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol129 p54-104
    King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    Biddle, M., 1969, 'The earthworks around St Mary-in-Castro' Archaeoogical Journal Vol126 p264-5
    Rigold, S.E., 1967, 'Excavations at Dover Castle [Kent] 1964-6' Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol127 p87-121
    (Rigold), 1966, Medieval Archaeology Vol10 p190-1 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    (Biddle), 1965, Medieval Archaeology Vol9 p190 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Biddle, 1964, Medieval Archaeology Vol8 p254-5 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    (Biddle), 1962-3, Medieval Archaeology Vol6-7 p322 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 p249-280 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p90-121] http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28195904%2974%3A291%3C249%3AALOC1%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P
    Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol70 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp19-64
    Hardman, F.W., 1937, 'Castleguard Service of Dover Castle' Archaeologia Cantiana Vol49 p96-107
    Report of Major E. R. Macpherson and on Notes supplied by E. G. J. Amos, 1931, 'The Norman Waterworks in the Keep of Dover Castle' Archaeologia Cantiana Vol43 p167-17
    1929, Archaeological Journal Vol86 p251-8
    Tipping, 1922, Country Life Vol51 p700-7, 743-51, 786-92
    Peck, 1914, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol20 p242-52
    Plunket, 1884, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol40 p152-7
    Blashill, T., 1884, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol40 p373-8
    Peck, W.M., 1880, 'Notes on the keep, the Roman pharos, and the shafts at the shot yard battery, Dover Castle' Archaeologia Vol45 p328-36
    Clark, G.T., 1875, 'Dover Castle' Archaeological Journal Vol32 p436-61 [reprinted in MMA]
    Scott, 1863, Archaeologia Cantiana Vol5 p1-18 [on the church]
    1811, Gentleman's Magazine pt2 p477 [survey of 1578] http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015027527392
    King, Edward, 1776, 'Observations on antient castles' Archaeologia Vol4 p393-6 [reprinted in Antient Castles]
• Guidebooks
  • Coed, J., 2007, Dover Castle (London: English Heritage)
    2001, Dover Castle Kent Souvenir Guide (London: English Heritage)
    Brown, R.Allen. 1985 4edn, Dover Castle, Kent(English Heritage)
    Brown, R.Allen. 1983 3edn, Dover Castle, Kent (HMSO)
    Brown, R.Allen. 1966, Dover Castle, Kent (HMSO)
    Radford, 1953, Dover Castle, Kent (HMSO)
    Hunter Blair and Honeyman, 1947, Dover Castle, Kent (HMSO)
    Puckle, 1864, Church and Fortress of Dover Castle (Oxford and London) [mostly on church]
    Hundley, n.d., (Dover)
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p266-70
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Darell, 1786 [written in reign of Elizabeth I], History of Dover Castle
    William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/kenteng.html#kent30]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p252, 255
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol4 p50 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryofjohnl04lelauoft
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Cromwell, Tom, 2008, Dover Castle Inner Bailey Excavations http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.19805