Dover Castle, Kent. Print

Dover Castle was founded in the 11th century and built by the invading Normans on what was thought to have been the site of an early hill fort and the Roman light house . Adjacent to the light house is the Anglo-Saxon church of St. Mary in Castro. The castle was built during the reign of Henry II (1133-1189) with improvements to the castle occurring at regular intervals thereafter including during the reign of Henry VIII and during the Napoleonic Wars, when Dover Castle’s strategic importance as the “key to England” was recognised. The first and only underground barracks for troops were built here during the wars with Napoleon’s France. During the Second World War the underground tunnels were converted into a command centre and hospital and the castle was once again part of Britain’s defences against attack from overseas. This time the German army in France. Today Dover Castle is a Grade I listed building and a major tourist attraction.