Dover Castle

After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror is said to have made a detour via Dover on his way to his coronation at Westminster Abbey. Reports indicate that the castle was already known as impregnable at that time. William had the existing fortifications repaired and expanded, possibly on the foundations of an Anglo-Saxon complex or a new motte. Under Henry II, the castle began to take on its present form, including the inner and outer wards and the large rectangular keep. In 1216, the castle was besieged by Louis VIII of France, who had been invited by rebellious barons. Despite successful undermining of a watchtower and attempts to storm the castle gate, the garrison managed to repel the attackers. After this siege, the North Gate was converted into an underground defensive complex, and new gates were integrated into the outer curtain wall. During the Tudor period, Henry VIII strengthened the fortress with a moat and additional bulwarks to meet the new demands of gunpowder warfare.