Dover Castle

Dover Castle stands on the white cliffs above the shortest sea crossing between England and the Continent. Founded in the 11th century, it has guarded the entrance to the country for nearly a thousand years. The Romans built a lighthouse here in the 2nd century, parts of which still rise from the ground. The medieval fortress grew around this ancient core, its massive keep and twin baileys taking shape under Henry II. The site also includes tunnels dug deep into the chalk, later used as barracks and storerooms. The castle’s walls have seen many sieges and battles. In 1066 William the Conqueror captured it after the Normans set fire to the clay-built stronghold. During the First Barons’ War in 1216, French forces twice tried to storm the walls but were driven back. In 1642 a small group of Parliamentarians climbed the cliffs at night, seized the gatehouse keys, and took the castle without a shot. In 1940 Admiral Ramsay directed the Dunkirk evacuation from tunnels beneath the castle. Visitors walk along the battlements with views over the English Channel. Inside the keep, stone staircases lead to rooms where medieval kings once stayed. The underground tunnels stretch for metres beneath the cliff, lined with brick and lit by electric light. The Roman lighthouse stands close by, its surviving walls showing the layers of tufa and ragstone. The outer defences include bastions added in the 18th century, their gun platforms still commanding the coastline.