We’re so grateful for being able to get out and about more again, after the latest covid lockdown which at times felt almost endless. Fingers crossed for no more setbacks. Last week we had an errand to Dover, and decided to combine that with a visit to Dover Castle.
Dover Castle is an English Heritage site, and as with all the other sites of theirs that are currently open, you need to make a booking for your visit on their website (all links in this post will open in a new tab). Something which is really great about English Heritage’s booking system is that it allows for same day bookings, so you can decide on the actual day if you wish to go or not. If you’re plannig to go at a popular time, such as weekends or holidays, it’s of course recommended to book further in advance.
We’ve been to Dover Castle a few times before, but for whatever reasons I’ve not got around to blog about it – until now! In this post, I will take you along on our sunny spring day walk around the grounds. Due to covid restrictions, the indoor areas are currently closed, but there is still plenty to enjoy, including fantastic views of the surroundings. The plan is that indoor spaces will be open from 17 May, and I’m hoping to get another post done before then (with photos from our previous visits) about what you can expect to see at Dover Castle once it’s fully open again.
It’s become a tradition of ours to start off our visits to Dover Castle by going up onto the viewing platform (a.k.a. the Admiralty look-out) overlooking the port, and that’s what we did this time too. I could quite happily spend ages up there, looking down at the world below, which looks tiny and almost unreal from high above.
Penguin however rarely likes to stay in one spot for very long (unless there’s a bench for him to get comfortable on) so after ooh-ing and aah-ing at those views for a few minutes, we headed back down the staircase and continued our wander around the site.
Eventually we approached the Great Tower, which is the central castle building. It was Henry II who initiated this build, starting from c.1180.
There are many different routes you could take around the grounds of Dover Castle. On this occassion, we chose to walk along part of the battlements.
One of the main features on that route is the Avranches Tower, which is a crossbow tower from late 12th century.
Another prominent building in the castle grounds is the Church of St Mary-in-Castro, with foundations from c.1000 AD. It sits proudly on a hill, together with the Roman Pharos mentioned earlier.
There are also plenty of old canons as well as more modern anti-aircraft guns placed along the battlement walk. Oh, and some pretty good views to look at as well!
In the left picture above you can see the viewing platform where we began our walk, and to the right is a view that sums up the centuries of architectural history of the site, with the Saxon church and the Roman lighthouse seen behind the late 19th century officers’ barracks. And that concludes our spring walk around the grounds of Dover Castle. Thank you for reading, I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour!
To learn more about the rich history of Dover Castle through the centuries (or millenia even!), take a look here: History of Dover Castle | English Heritage.
Until next time, take care x
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We would def visit this kind of place, and it’s not too far so maybe we will some day!
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#kcacols
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I hope you can make it some time Ann! And if you decide on a longer stay in the area, there are a few more places I could suggest… For example, there’s another wonderful – but quite different – castle just a short drive north of Dover, at Walmer. It has lovely nature play areas to explore as well x
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SO AMAZING! I desperately want to visit castles…the states are so lacking in wonderful architecture. #KCACOLS
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Thank you Kendra! Yes, we are really spoilt with a lot of historical buildings to explore around here. I’m very aware how lucky we are, and we’re really treasuring it! xx
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Very cool. I’m always jealous when I see these kinds of posts from UK bloggers. We don’t have anything with that kind of history here in the States #KCACOLS
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Thank you Jeremy! I knid of know the feeling as I grew up in Sweden, and although we have a long history there, not much is still around from as far back as many places here, and not as well preserved either. So much of the old Nordic architecture used wood primarily, so the lifespan is rarely as good as for stonebuilt castles etc. I’m loving all the historical places we can experience here x
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Looks like you had a great day for it, it has been a long time since I visited Dover so nice to see the pictures. I will have to take my kids to a Castle this summer. #KCACOLS
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Thank you Jade! Yes it was a beautiful day, we were so lucky with the weather! We are loving all the castles at the moment 🙂 I hope you find a good one to explore with your boys too! xx
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Dover Castle looks like a great place for a day out and it’s useful to know that English Heritage allows for same day bookings. Those views from the viewing platform are stunning. Amazing to see remains of the Roman lighthouse. I love that photo with the 19th century barracks in front of the Saxon church and Roman lighthouse – really makes you realise how much the castle has changed over the centuries. Thank you for sharing with #CountryKids
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Thank you Louise! Yes it’s quite amazing isn’t it, to have all the centuries (millenia even!) ove history, so tangible and all in one place xx
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You certainly had wonderful weather for your visit too. Popping back from #KidsandKreativity
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Thank you Louise, we were so lucky with it! x
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What a beautiful place to go explore. My kids love nothing better to run around freely x #kcacols
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Thank you! It’s the best, isn’t it, when they can roam around and explore things at their own pace xx
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Judging by those blue skies you chose a lovely day for your visit to the castle #kidsandkreativity@_karendennis
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We sure did, thank you Karen! x
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We have not made it to Dover … yet! This castle looks incredible and something I will be keen to check out someday. #KCACOLS
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It’s a good one, with so much history. And the views 🙂 Hope you get there some day! x
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Looks lovely – got to love a good castle 🙂 #KCACOLS
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Thank you Hannah! Yes indeed, loving all the castles 😀 x
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at looks unreal – we have no castles so it’s always SO AMAZING to see them. Even in photos~! #KCACIOLS
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Thank you Lydia! I know the feeling – Having grown up in Sweden, I’m not used to the abundance of historically important architecture that is available here in England. There are very few medieval castles in Sweden, and not really anything Roman. There are some traces of the Vikings, but nothing of this kind of scale, more like the odd gravemound or runestone x
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Beautiful photos! I’ve been to Dover numerous times but never visited the castle. It looks like an interesting place. Thanks for linking up with #KidsandKreativity, hope to see you back next time.
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Thank you Kerry! Oh yes, you definitely need to make time to visit the castle next time you’re in Dover, it’s a great place! x
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I love a castle!!! And Dover looks amazing! SO much history there. It’s amazing to think that the Roman lighthouse dates back to 43AD. I always wonder about the people who built it and how they would feel if they knew their structures would be visited 2000 years later.
Thank for for sharing with #AdventureCalling
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Amazing, isn’t it! That tangible connection between us and those who lived their lives in the same place so many, many generations ago! x
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