Perched high above the city of Dover, at any time in history, Dover castle must have appeared formable to an approaching enemy.
Photo above - Dover Castle, the inner wall, with Henry II's Keep poking above its wall
Located only 28 miles from France, Dover Castle was strategically important for defending Britain from invading armies coming from the main continent. Until its decommissioned in 1958, the castle was garrisoned, continually, for 892 years.
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It was Duke William of Normandy who first established the earthwork castle at this site in 1066 AD. Henry II (1133-1189), rebuild and expanded the castle, adding wall towers and additional defenses. The castle you view today, retains, in scope and shape, the 12th century castle of Henry II. But, in the mid-18th century, though the end of the 19th century, the castle went though a number of alterations to modernize its defenses. World War I and II saw additional improvements in armaments and the adding of the Secret War Time Tunnels.
Photo Above - relatively recent building are also found in the large ward of the castle.
On the castle grounds are two structures that are actually older than the castle, one of them, the Roman lighthouse, maybe the oldest structure still standing in Britain. The other structure that pre-dates the castle is a Saxon Church, St. Mary-in-Castro.
Photo Above - St. Mary-in-Castro and what remains of a Roman lighthouse.
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