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Dover Castle

The site of Dover Castle in Kent has a history that stretches back to Roman times, and casts light on many periods of history. The South East is the part of Britain where change often came to the country. The Romans landed on the coast here, and built a lighthouse at the site of Dover Castle, some of which survives.

 

 

 

 

Roman lighthouse and Saxon church

The Romans withdrew from Britain at the beginning of the fifth century. The Roman's departure was followed by the Saxon invasions. Fittingly next door to the Roman lighthouse there is a restored Saxon church. Saxon age churches are rare in Britain, not least because the Normans pulled most of them down during an energetic period of rebuilding following their invasion in 1066.

The Norman invasion is marked at the Dover Castle by the Norman central keep.

The Norman invasion was the last successful military invasion of Britain. But later invasion attempts have left their marks at Dover. There are many fortifications from the Napoleonic wars.

During the Second World War Dover castle was an important command centre. Naval operations were run from a secret underground headquarters deep in the chalk cliffs below the castle. It was from here that the evacuation of Dunkirk was organised by Admiral Ramsey in May 1940. The British Army had been pushed back to the coast at Dunkirk, and the only way out was on a flotilla of small boats hastily assembled to cross the channel and take hundreds of thousands of men off the beaches and back to Britain.

 

A tour of the underground headquarters takes visitors through a hospital, in which the experience of emergency surgery during an air raid is recreated. This is very affecting, but might not be suitable for children. You will also see the operations rooms which look much as they did during the war. Some of the furniture and equipment is original. The tour ends on the balcony where Admiral Ramsey stood to look at the Channel during the desperate days of the Dunkirk evacuation. It's remarkably moving to stand there, seeing the entrance of Dover harbour in front of you. The balcony is actually built into the white cliffs of Dover, one of the great identifying symbols of Britain. A country is something hard to define, made up of so many groups of people ebbing and flowing together. And yet to stand in Admiralty Casement, within the white cliffs themselves, recalling a time when Britain was united by an external enemy, it's as though the country solidifies around you for a moment. You are part of Britain's symbolism and its rock. And of course a country rests as much on its symbols as it does on its rock.

There's a nice tea shop too.

Opening Times: Dover Castle is open as follows: April, May, June, July 10am to 6pm every day; August 9:30am to 6pm every day; September 10am to 6pm every day; October 10am to 5pm every day; November, December and January 10am to 4pm on Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday; February until 20th March 10am to 4pm every day. Dover Castle is closed 24-26th December and 1st January.

Directions. Dover Castle sits above the town of Dover. Drive to Dver town centre and follow tourist signs. Click here for an interactive road and satellite map centred on Dover Castle

Access: most of the site is accessible to wheelchair users, although there are some rather steep slopes. Mobility scooters are available at the Keep Shop. A lift can be used in the wartime tunnels to avoid difficult stairs. A hearing loop is available with all audio tours. Ask at the Keep Shop.

Contact:

phone: 01304 211067

web: www.english-heritage.org.uk