Sunday 27 January 2008

Dover Castle


On our new year trip we decided to travel to France on a Dover crossing , for old time's sake. My parents used to live nearby for a time, so it used to be our preferred route in those days. I took the photo above as the ferry left the harbour. It shows Dover Castle on the cliffs above the town - the keep, the castle wall, and the Constable's Tower on the left.

The castle was a favourite haunt of our sons, and then it became a great place to visit with any of their friends who came to stay.


Photo from Wikimedia Commons.

While I was looking up some information on the area I found the photo above on Wikipedia, which seems to have been taken from almost exactly the opposite direction to mine. It even has the ferry in the background!


This third view shows the castle church with the Roman lighthouse at the end of it. The arches half way down the cliff are part of the casemate barracks built between 1793 and 1801, and you are just able see an observation platform at the top of the cliff on the extreme right.

The cliffs are riddled with tunnels, some dating as far back as Tudor times and others from WWII. To the right of the casemate barracks are entrances to some tunnels which were converted to shelter the government if it became necessary. Some tunnels, but not the government shelter, are now open to the public.

Plenty of interesting information is available on Wikipedia, Dover Castle: lock and key of the Kingdom and Historic Kent.

11 comments:

  1. I lived not far from there for a few years, and enjoyed taking the "booze cruise" - but mostly because shopping in Mammouth was a nice change from shopping in Sainsbury's

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  2. I bet those tunnels are really interesting! I'd be curious to see what's in them.

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  3. Thanks for bringing back "old" memories. We was there years ago (in the early 90) And the Castel is impressing

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  4. those are wonderful photos....I love the old castles...thank you for sharing...

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  5. Ah, yes, that is one of the places that definitely makes you hear the wings of history. I must go there some time. Such an interesting place and I love old castles. The question is when... I really would like to go around the world!

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  6. I'm curious about the tunnels too. I wonder how people get down to them. And I LOVE the Roman lighthouse! What a beautiful area!!

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  7. Elaine, do you remember French people used to do a reverse booze cruise? You could see them round dover buying up huge quantities of Quality Street chocolates!
    Caledonia, yes I would think the tunnels really are interesting. I haven't been down them myself though.
    Tor, I don't believe there is *anywhere* I've been that you haven't :)
    Smalltown rn, it's my pleasure, thanks!
    Janet, they are beautiful and well preserved fotunately.
    Captain Lifecruiser, it is a place where you really can get a sense of history. And of course, you can go on a cruise that starts in at Dover :)
    Swordmama the tunnels are entered from the castle I believe. You're right, it is a lovely area, but unfortunately people are normally rushing through on their was somewhere else, so they don't often see it.

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  8. There was an other lighthouse at the frenchside. But it doesn't exist since a long time I red on Wikipédia. We must visit this site one day!

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  9. Did you venture down the underground hospital?

    St Margarets Bay a little further up the coast is wonderful.

    Jeremy J

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  10. Jeremy J, no we didn't go down to the hospital. My parents lived in St. Margaret's Bay for years, so I know it fairly well. You are quite right, it is wonderful.

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