« Bird’s Nest Fern | Home | German Shepherd Dog »
Dover Castle
By Med | May 2, 2006
Family ticket £18.80
Clifftop castle, construction begun in late 12th century. Thick inner and outer curtain walls. Contained within is a Roman lighthouse. Spectacular Constable’s Tower. Tunnels and secret chambers were built below the castle.
This ancient fortification site is situated on the famous white cliffs of Dover. Dover Castle has been strategically important for hundreds of years. This is England’s closest point to Continental Europe and its location has long been valued.
One of the largest castles in the country, strategically located at the shortest crossing point to continental Europe, Dover Castle has played a prominent part in national history. Its origins lie in the Iron Age, and a Roman Lighthouse and Anglo-Saxon church can still be seen within the grounds.
William of Normandy strengthened existing Anglo-Saxon fortifications here in 1066, but it was Henry II who set the blueprint for today’s castle when he had the fortifications rebuilt in the 1180’s, adding the massive keep and a series of concentric defences. Over the centuries, the defences were continually enlarged and improved, with the castle retaining a military role into the mid twentieth century. An underground hospital and the command centre used for the Dunkirk evacuation are a legacy from the Second World War.
This fortress has evolved to become Britain’s first line of defense against attack from abroad. Concentric stone walls and a massive keep have been modernized over time. Surprise attacks could be launched from secret tunnels, dug by medieval soldiers.
During the Dunkirk evacuation in the early days of WWII, these tunnels were used as a command post for Allied Forces.
Topics: All Posts |
May 2nd, 2008 at 11:51 pm
thanks the websights so cool and had lots of cool stuff to look@..