Top 2 Castles around Walmer

From here you have a beautiful view of the gate.

Walmer Castle is an artillery fort originally built by Henry VIII in Walmer, Kent, between 1539 and 1540. It was part of the King's Device program to protect against invasions from France and the Holy Roman Empire, defending the strategically important Downs anchorage off the English coast. Walmer Castle later became the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and was gradually transformed from a military fortress into a private residence. Inside the castle there are new areas to explore, opening to the public for the first time in 2024. Discover the Lord Warden's private chambers and see where the Queen Mother stayed during her visits. The grounds include the Queen Mother's Garden, designed by Penelope Hobhouse as a 95th birthday present for Elizabeth in 1997.

Victoria Park in Dover, Kent is a remarkable area that is both historically and architecturally important. The park consists of a series of 26 buildings, numbered 1 to 26, all of which are included in the National Heritage List for England. Built between 1850 and 1860, these buildings dominate Dover's townscape and the approaches to Dover Castle. Each building has five floors and a basement, which is above ground on the west side. The houses are built of yellow brick and have a slate roof. The park and buildings are a wonderful example of Victorian architecture and urban planning.

quaint side street

Beautiful and definitely worth seeing fortress, you should definitely plan around 3 to 4 hours to visit the complex and take part in guided tours through the tunnel system. For several centuries, Dover Castle has guarded the narrowest part of the English Channel and thus the "access" to England, which is why it is also called the "Key to England". Dover Castle towers over the chalk cliffs and is considered one of England's most famous landmarks with great symbolic value.

This fort was built to better protect the piece of land closest to Europe. The Romans erected a lighthouse and the Saxons a church (St Mary-in-Castro). William the Conqueror reinforced the existing defenses. Henry II added the beautiful keep in 1180, which is surrounded by a wall. The impressive Constable's Tower dates from the early 13th century. The Secret Wartime Tunnels, a labyrinth of tunnels and secret rooms arranged under the castle, date from the Napoleonic era and were greatly expanded during World War II. These corridors served as headquarters during Operation Dynamo in 1940, when British troops were evacuated here from Dunkirk.

Sited over eight acres, Built on the orders of Henry VIII to defend England's southern shores, Walmer Castle later became a home for the Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports, among them the Duke of Wellington and the Queen Mother.

View at Constables Gate from Constables Road. You can also access the castle via Constables Gate. Bikes may be parked at the dontainer level.